A Different Kind of Ally
by demoncat22
Summary: At war with the firenation, Kuei - the King of Ba Sing Se - has sent for help, and it involves a very impatient, hot-tempered boy.
1. A Letter

Kuei couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it. After all this time of not knowing...he felt so dumb. So used.

They were at war.

With the Firenation.

They tried to bring down the great wall and he had no idea!

He sighed loudly as Basco went to mingle with the avatar and his friends.

At least he knew now, and had the avatar as ally. Still...

"I just can't believe it."

Everyone looked at him sympathically. Except the little blind girl. He guess she was looking at him; her head was turned to him, but – that didn't matter!

"When do we attack?" he asked again, entwining his fingers nervously. Perhaps he could get some help.

"The day of black sun."

Yes! Just enough time to call _him_ and get ready for the sure-to-be-horrifying battle. "Would it bother you if I got reinforcements?"

The Avatar's grin widened. "What? Not at all! The more the better!"

Sometimes, he wondered how a boy so young and so...innocent could be the avatar. Surely there had to be some justice in this world. At such a young age...so much responsibility. Of course, he's not really that young, 112 and all, but still, the Avatar had the heart of a child.

"Who do you have in mind?" the water tribe girl asked – her name was...it started with a K...oh, right. Katara.

"I have a cousin. He lives really far, but he should be able to make it on time."

The gang cheered, and he chuckled nervously.

His cousin was great at fighting – at least, last he saw him he was -and was allowed to wander, so he should have some experience. More than him, definitely.

"You!" he pointed at a guard. "Write a letter of emergency now!"

"To Emperor Ling Yao."


	2. Unexpected Mission

Edward Elric grumbled incoherently under his breath as he stormed through the military. Every other officers know to stay out of his way due to the dark menacing aura about him.

Stopping infront of a gigantic door, he slammed it open rather loudly to show his ever-growing annoyance.

"Ah, Fullmetal. You've grown."

"Shut up and tell me why you interrupted me during Al's wedding."

Roy Mustang smiled apologetically and Ed narrowed his eyes. "Yes, Alphonse's wedding while you have yet to choose a bride."

"Are you suggesting i'm too short to get married?"

"I'm merely suggesting-"

"I AM NOT SHORT, GOD DAMMIT!"

Mustang smirked, and Ed felt his temper growing. But before both could say anymore -

"Eddy! It has been too long!"

He was hugged by an all-too-familiar nitwit.

"Get off me, squinty-eyes." Ed grunted. "What are you doing here?" he pushed Ling away rather forcefully.

"Emperor Ling Yao has requested you for a mission." Mustang drawled, smirking in amusement.

Ed rounded on him, eyes glinting dangerously. "AND YOU LET HIM?!"

"He is an emperor, after all." Mustang said, waving the accusing glare away.

"This is an urgent matter, Edward." Ling said, a somber look on his face.

Ed straightened up; he knew when to work and when to play.

"Word has been sent from my cousin that war is upon his country. He needs my help, and so I am gathering my most trusted friends."

"Me?" Ed asked in disbelief, noticing Mustang roll his eyes and sending him a death glare.

"Yes, and me, and Lan Fan. We make a great team!" and the old Ling was back.

"Only 3?" Ed questioned, his arms crossed.

"That will not be a problem with you around, Fullmetal." Mustang retorted, leaning back on his comfortable looking chair.

"...I take that as an insult!"

Ling took that as a yes. "Excellent!" he cheered.

"And if anything goes wrong, call me." Mustang repriminded, giving Ed his 'you'd better behave' face.

"Yeah, yeah." Ed sulked. "When will I be leaving?"

"This instant!"

"WHAT?! WHAT ABOUT AL'S WEDDING?!"

"Preventing war is more important than weddings, Fullmetal. I'm sure Alphonse would agree." Mustang said casually, ignoring the seething expression his charge was sporting.

Ling grabbed Ed and they teleported. To Xing. So Ed wouldn't be able to change his mind, or go back. Unfortunately for Xing, this made him furious.

"KIDNAPPERS!"

Unfortunately for him, Ling didn't care.

"Let's get ready!"


	3. Prison Guards

Kuei waited. And waited. And waited.

He knew his cousin would come. After all, they had some sort of mental link. A connection they never told anyone. Well, they had told a butler, but the man had laughed and dismissed it as children talking. So they never told anyone else.

Sokka looked out of the dark, dim cell.

"Any Dai Lee agents?" Toph asked casually, a feat considering their circumstances.

Sokka nodded. "3." he said quietly as the Dai Lee agents walked towards their cell.

He stood back, a frown on his face as they unlocked the cell door.

The tallest one ran over to Kuei.

"KUUUUUUUEEEEEIIIIIIII!"

The shortest one hissed, grabbing his companion back. "You lunatic, what if someone heard you?"

Said lunatic continued trying to hug the king.

Kuei stood, a bright smile on his face. "Ling! I knew you would come!"

"Of course I would. I never break my promises!"

The 2 emperors squealed, and everyone else sweatdropped.

"My lord, we need to go now." the last one said respectfully, looking around for threats.

The short one nodded vigorously, grabbing Ling and pulling him out of the cell.

"That's your cousin?" Sokka inquired, frowning at the struggling man.

Kuei nodded happily. "Who'd you bring?" he addressed Ling, who had gotten out of his predictment and was grinning goofily.

"Only the best, Kuei-chan! This is Eddy-"

'Eddy' - which they all doubt was the boy's real name – punched Ling's arm with his right hand. "Do NOT call me Eddy."

"Edward." Ling corrected, rubbing his arm. "And this is LanFan." he gestured at the last one, who bowed.

Kuei smiled, moving out of the cell. "As expected of you, cousin."

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on. Hold on." Sokka interrupted. "You only brought 2 people with you?! This is war! You're supposed to bring armies! And-"

"I did bring armies. 2 infact." Ling said brightly. "Ed and LanFan."

Sokka fell over.

"We need to leave NOW." Ed gritted out, irritation written all over his face.

"Alright, alright. Jeez. Come on, cousin and people whose names I don't know." Ling said merrily, beckoning to all of them.

"It's Sokka, and this is Toph."

Ling didn't seem to hear them, simply yelling out - "Great!" before turning to Ed and LanFan, muttering...something.

"I'm not leaving without Basco!" Kuei interjected, determined to be heard about that particular request.

Only LanFan acknowledged it.

"Ed, i'm sensing trouble underground. Me and LanFan get the bear, you go check it out."

Ed scowled. "Don't order me around! I know what to do!" he grumbled, running the opposite direction they were headed.

Kuei looked back doubtfully. "Are you sure it's alright, cousin? He seems so young-"

"What about that young lady over there?" LanFan pointed at Toph, who turned to them with an insulted look on her face. "She seems young, yet you let her fight."

"Hey! Don't talk about me like i'm not here!"

"True. True."


	4. Abandoned

Ed scowled again as he burrowed deep underground.

He could feel it. Wasn't pleasant, wasn't unpleasant either.

It simply put him on edge.

Finally seeing some sort of eerie glowing green light, he decided to check the perimeter or something before blowing everything up.

The first sight that caught his eye was the floating boy.

He looked creepy.

The second, was the mass of red clothed soldiers.

Obviously, the uniform was meant to make them look threatening. It kinda worked, until he got used to the amount of red.

He locked eyes with an elderly man, who was looking at him skeptically.

He looked down at himself.

Right. He was also wearing red.

A clash of lighting made him come back to his surroundings.

There was a girl at the front row of soldiers. She was smirking smugly, her finger smoking. And he decided she wasn't the 'good' kind.

The boy was falling, and since he had deemed the girl evil, her enemy had to be good. Right?

Whatever.

He would question them later.

Hopefully, he saved the right one.

Catching the boy, he turned and quickly ducked what seemed to be a whip made of water.

"Let go of Aang!"

"I came with Emperor Ling Yao!" he yelped, jumping over the girl. The name had better work...

"How will I know you're speaking the truth? You could be one of-"

"You don't!" he interrupted, transmuting the ground to rise. He hoped the girl would realize their situation and not attack him while they were moving. That would complicate things.

He turned back one last time and clapped.

BOOM!

After all, he did learn something from Kimblee.

Boarding a flying...thing, he gave the bald boy to the girl gingerly, and turned to Ling.

"Ba Sing Sei has fallen." Ling said solemnly.

"I tried!" Ed gritted out defensively. He really did. Hearing that made him feel guilty, and he didn't like feeling guilty. It wasn't pleasant.

"We know." LanFan said, popping out behind Ling. "We heard your explosion."

"Did you get any of them?" Ling asked, leaning back.

"The explosion took all of them, how am I supposed to count?" Ed asked irritably.

"We are very sorry we came so late." Ling apologised to his cousin, who waved it away.

"It's okay, you helped."

"No, it's not okay. Tell me what we can do to make it better."

Ed looked at Ling. The man was very loyal, he'll give him that. **I guess not **_**everything**_** about Ling is bad/annoying...**

"If you could assist the Avatar and his friends with their mission..." Kuei trailed off hopefully.

"Of course! Eddy! You go!" Ling ordered, snapping his fingers at Ed.

**I was wrong!**

"WHAT?! You said we just had to help your cousin!"

"Well, now i'm saying, help the Avatar."

"WHY?! First you made me miss Al's wedding! Then you made me fight in another war! Then you want me to help strangers?!" he yelled, flailing his arms.

"Yup!" Ling chirped, at Ed's murderous glare, he added - "It won't be for long. Just until...uh...they take down whatever enemy they have."

"But-"

"No 'but's', Eddy. I am in charge in this mission and I what I say goes."

Ed stared/glared at him with narrowed eyes. **How dare that **_**imbecile**_** order me around...**

It was unnerving to be on the receiving end of that look.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Ling whined, hiding behind an amused looking LanFan.

"Edward, it's for the people." LanFan said, deciding to help out her king.

"You're their hero, aren't you?" Ling asked with wide oh-so-innocent eyes.

Ed looked at them for some time before he snorted.

"If it was really for the people, they wouldn't start wars."

"Please, Eddy! Everything depends on you-"

"Again."

"What if Alphonse finds out you didn't want to help prevent wars? You wouldn't want to let him down...would you? After all, he looks up to you."

A panicked expression flashed on Ed's face.

He knew what Ling was doing, oh yes, he knew it very well...

"You come back home, and he asked you how was the mission...and when he hears what you refused to do..."

"He wouldn't know if I don't tell him." Ed said studdornly, crossing his arms in a desperate attempt to win this argument.

"But _someone_ might tell him. After all, it's a _small_ world."

Ed twitched, then slowly nodded. It was a losing battle to begin with anyway.

Ling bearhugged him, nearly causing him to fall off the flying...thing and crash down to earth.

"Leave me stranded alone, why don't you?"


	5. New Recruit

Aang looked around helplessly.

"Why are we on a firenation ship? Why is everybody dressed this way? And why am I the only one left out?" he asked worriedly, looking at Katara for answers.

What he REALLY wanted to know was why everybody looked firenation, because that fact alone was starting to freak him out.

"Easy...you got hurt pretty bad." Katara said softly, a small grimance tugging at her lips.

Aang swallowed nervously, gingerly pressing on his bandaged abdomen.

"I like your hair." came the random comment which disturbed him in ways the girl before him cannot imagine.

"I HAVE HAIR?!"

Katara laughed lightly, a sound that would have brought a blush to his cheeks if his stomach wasn't hurting like hell.

"Is everything alright?" a man asked, aproaching them. At a closer distance, he recognised the man as Hakkoda, father to two of his best friends.

"Everything's fine, dad." Katara said curtly, looking away with a frown.

Aang looked between the both of them, confused at the cold reaction.

"I'm Hakkoda, Katara and Sokka's father." Hakkoda introduced, offering Aang his hand.

However, Katara got there first, and before he could take it, she slapped her father's hand away. "He know's who you are, I just called you dad, didn't I?" she snapped, practically glowering at the man.

Aang shifted uncomfortably, gulping in fear of Katara's wrath being directed at him.

"I guess you're right." Hakkoda said after a few minutes of tension. Although he didn't look angry, not in the slightest, he just looked somewhat...hurt.

Not physical hurt.

The other kind...

Aang offered his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Hakkoda."

Katara looked away sourly. "Now you're done, can you leave us alone?"

Hakkoda looked at her for a few more seconds. "Alright."

"Um...are you mad at your dad, or something?" Aang asked hesitantly, watching as Hakkoda walked over to Bato.

"No, why would you say that?" came the immediate reply.

Aang stared at her, a little thrown off about that. "Mm mm." he shrugged, but imediately regretting it as his stomach BURNED.

However, that was soon forgotten as a particularly loud voice sounded from behind.

"OH YEAH? WHAT ABOUT YOU? I BET SOME ONE AS SMALL AS YOU CAN'T EVEN FIGHT!"

"REALLY? LOOK WHO'S TALKING, HAZY EYES!"

Katara groaned. "Not again." she muttered under her breath, shaking her head at something behind him. Aang turned, a disbelieving look on his face as he tried to figure out who would be yelling when they were on an enemy ship.

"Break it up, guys. Don't wanna blow our cover now, do we?" Sokka tried to push them away from each other, but instead, they pushed him away.

"What's your problem, shrimp!"

"You are, pipsqueak!"

"I told you, I am not a pipsqueak!"

"And I am not a shrimp!"

"I'LL CALL YOU WHATEVER I WANT!"

"SAME HERE!"

"Grrrrrrrr." both of them growled, making Sokka walk away slowly.

"Who's that?" Aang asked, pointing the boy as Sokka inched behind him.

"Reinforcements from the Earth king."

"Just one?"

"Apparantly, he's really powerful." Katara said, shrugging. Although she sounded pretty doubtful.

"Now come on, it's time for your healing session."


	6. Secret

Ed scowled after the fiery girl; he was not a shrimp, dammit! Nobody's called him shrimp in 2 years!

How he hated this 'mission'.

Who knew how long he would be stuck with them?

**I can't believe Ling threatened me...**

At least he was able to call someone else pipsqueak for a change. Not that the fact really helped.

Sokka called a meeting – the fifth one this week – in which he was sure was going to go downhill – where he explained the whole situation to Aang the avatar.

How the boy survived the lightning he had no idea, not sure he wanted to know either.

"This is Edward, he's the new recruit."

Ed nodded in his direction, then continued with his food.

"The invasion will continue as planned. Plus, we have a secret..." Sokka paused, looking around dramatically. "You."

"Me?" Aang repeated, a bewildered expression on his face.

Ed watched them, positive that Sokka shouldn't have been so blunt.

**But who am I to talk?**

He mused with a small smirk.

"Yup. The whole world thinks you're dead." Sokka said cheerfully, spreading his arms out wide.

"The whole world thinks i'm...dead?" Aang looked horrified at the news – contrary to Sokka.

Ed secretly agreed he would be horrified too if the whole world thought him dead, though it seemed he was the only one thinking that.

"How is that possible?!"

"So the Firenation won't be expecting you on the day of black sun, isn't this great?" Sokka continued, oblivious to his friend's distress.

"No! It's not great!"

Ed was starting to think Sokka might have some sort of hearing problem.

"I'm supposed to save the world! But how can I do that if the whole world thinks i'm dead?!"

"Firenation ship!" someone called, distracting everyone from the matter at hand.

"I'll handle this. The avatar is back-"

Ed put down his food, watching Aang suddenly double forward in pain.

The boy was still healing, what was he thinking?

"Aang, stop. You're still hurt. Dad and Bato will handle it."

Ed shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips as he saw Aang scowl.

They were forced under a blanket, while Ed stood a little farther off, leaning on a pipe.

Three men boarded their ship.

"What are you doing? All western fleets are supposed to report to Ba Sing Se!" the leader barked, looking pretty intimidating.

He seemed to be used to that.

"We're from the...eastern fleet." Hakkoda quickly said, adding a sheepish smile.

While Ed admired his confidence and quick thinking in dealing with the enemy, he couldn't help roll his eyes at the smile.

The leader seemed to buy it. "Ah...Eastern fleet. That's under General Chan's division. He could've told us, I mean, how hard is it to send a hawk our way?"

"Next time, we'll send two hawks to make sure you get the message."

"Hmph."

Ed narrowed his eyes at the leader.

"Alright."

He caught sight of the slight halt the leader made as one of his guards leaned to tell him something. Even if he didn't hear it, Toph's cry pretty much confirmed his suspicions.

"They're going to sink the ship!"

He clapped, transmuting the metal bridge; bending it into a sphere to trap the General and his goons. It sunk to the bottom of the sea.

Ed leaned forward, looking into the deep abyss. "Good riddance."

His head snapped up to look at the other ship.

A devilish smirk formed on his face as he clapped; exploding the enemy ship.

He watched it sink, an insane grin on his face.

A chorus of awed gasps slapped him out of his daze, and he blinked.

**What was that?**

Maybe using Kimblee's exploding alchemy was too much.

He should stop.

"Why'd you do that?"

"They were going to sink the ship." Toph huffed, climbing out of the blanket. "How'd you do that? I thought i was the only one who knew metal bending."

"But that was simple, everyone knows you just have to channel your energy to-"

"What?"

"Nothing." Ed said gruffly.

Wouldn't be good to let possible enemies know alchemy, would it?

"That was good, Ed. I guess Emperor Ling does know what he's doing."

"Looks like another secret weapon!" Sokka exclaimed excitedly.

Ed frowned at the choice of words.

"Don't like being a secret?" Aang asked as he noticed Ed's expression, a somber look on his face.

"Don't like being a weapon." Ed corrected, looking behind him where the ship had disappeared.

He had been one for far too long.


	7. Family

Ed watched as Aang crept pass his bodyguards and flew away.

He shrugged, thinking the boy'll come back. After all, he has a family here. Friends, people who love him.

He frowned slightly as he continued watching the merchants sell their goods.

**Wonder how Al's doing...**

Probably sulking about him not being able to make it to his wedding, or not. Al would most probably brush it off with a smile. After all, this was Al they were talking about.

His ports were aching; it was going to rain.

Katara came back, and they departed the trading port.

He nodded at her and she smiled in return. Entering the ship, looking for Aang.

Who hasn't returned.

He hoped she wouldn't freak out.

She did.

Because after a while, she ran out and past him, a distraught look on her face as she stood infront of her father.

". . .I'll leave you two alone." Bato said, walking in. Ed followed; he knew they needed some sort of 'family' talk.

He wasn't that dense, jeez.

"What's wrong?" he heard.

"He's gone."

Katara was crying.

"Aang's gone. He just took his glider and flew away. He has this...ridiculous notion of saving the world alone."

"Well, maybe that's his way of being brave."

"It's not brave, it's selfish...and stupid! I mean – I know we have a job to do, I know the world needs him, but can't he see that we need him too?! How could he just leave us like that!?"

He shouldn't be listening.

He really shouldn't be-

"You're talking about me too, aren't you?"

It was none of his business.

It was their's and he should be walking as far away as possible.

"How could you dad? I mean, I know we had gran gran and she loves us, but we were so lost without you."

Okay, he really needed to move.

Somewhere, anywhere.

"Katara, i'm sorry. I think of you every minute of every day. Every night, I lie there thinking about you and your brother. My heart hurts so much it aches."

He had to get away.

This had nothing to do with him; he was a bystander and he should leave.

Right now.

"I know why you left, I know that there are people who need you. So...why do I still feel this way?"

Get out!

Goddammit!

Leave!

"Katara, I love you and your brother more than anything else in the world, don't you ever forget that."

Why couldn't he move his body?!

Why was he still standing there like an idiot?!

He started as Katara passed him.

Regaining his body back, he slid down the wall.

That argument...

It had hit too close to home.

* * *

"Come on, we're going after him."

"What? Why?"

She glared at her brother, and Sokka quickly added.

"He could just be out for a break."

"Sokka!"

"Alright. Alright."

"I'm not coming, right?" Ed asked from his corner, content to sitting there all day.

"Mm...well..."

He started to grin. **Yes, yes, yes, let me go home. Tell me to go away.**

However, Toph seemed to read his mind. "I want the loser to come." she said, smirking.

"Alright then. That settles it."

"What?" Ed yelled, jumping up. "Why?"

"Because Emperor Ling Yao said so." Toph stuck out her tongue smugly, satisfied with the suffering she was knowingly giving Ed.

**That evil monster!**

"He doesn't control me!" he yelled, knowing full well what he said was not true. It was true he was incharge of his own mission, but Ling was the contractor...and how ever annoying the contractor is...

"Alright. I'll go with you." he mumbled.

He could practically feel Toph smirk.

* * *

They found the boy washed up on an island with a volcano on it.

Ed sighed as he thought up a few scenarios of what would happen if it had erupted before they found Aang.

Everyone ran over to the fallen boy, with the exception of Ed.

"I don't do hugs." he mumbled.

But smiled nonetheless.


	8. The Headband

He didn't agree. He wouldn't agree.

Because, dammit, he was the Fullmetal Alchemist, and he did what he wanted!

"No way in hell."

"Come on, Ed. You're being unreasonable."

"No. I have never done it before, and i'm not going to start now!"

"Please?"

"No. it's red anyway. What's the big deal? Besides, we're stealing."

Katara decided to ignore that last statement. "Can't you. . . make it even redder?"

"What the hell for?!"

"W're wanted criminals! Think rationally!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. It was funny; she was reprimanding him of laying low when she was the one yelling in public enemy territory.

Aang looked around nervously, though the only one who could hear them was the sleeping man by the porch. It was amazing how he could continue sleeping with Katara yelling so loudly...

Grumbling to himself, he clapped transforming his white gloves red. It was as far as he was going.

"Just gloves?"

"Oh look, food!"

* * *

He finished his steak and rolled his eyes as Aang told them he would go look in the dumpster.

He didn't understand why the boy would do that when there was plenty of food right infront of them. It was mind boggling.

He didn't think the avatar would be willing to go through the garbage for vegetables. **Seriously, you take what you get, right?**

However, he paused when Aang got dragged away.

Looking at the others, he saw they didn't see a thing and were still busy stuffing themselves.

If he went after Aang. . . he could ensure the boy's safety, and not get scolded by Katara.

If he ignored Aang. . . he could eat another steak, get yelled at for not doing his job and Toph would never let him live it down.

What to do. . .

Easy enough to decide; his pride was most important and he would not stand for being ridiculed by someone shorter than him.

Sighing sadly at his steak, he followed his charge with a heavy heart.

* * *

School.

**S**even **C**ruel **H**ours **O**f **O**ur** L**ives.

**Also, you spend all day there and learn useless things.**

Ed mused, staring as the teacher lectured his charge.

He supposed there was nothing to worry about since this was a school, and no matter which country it is, dangerous people don't come to school.

Unless there's some sort of motive. . .

That didn't come out right.

But so far, it seemed to be safe for Aang; he had done 2 perimeter checks and was satisfied by what he had found.

Which was nothing.

Hanging upside down a roof, humming to himself, was so not worth his time.

Sitting up, he narrowed his eyes as a student approached his charge.

That would've been normal if there had not been a snarl on the boy's lips.

He didn't know what Aang said to him – he was too far away – but he supposed it worked because the boy walked off.

With the girl Aang was talking to.

Still, the avatar didn't seem bothered by that.

Which was weird, because personally, he would've thrown a punch or two.

Wishing he had brought a few more steaks along with him, he sighed as he watch his charge play with other students.

He should've stayed with the others.

This was boring.

* * *

As Aang walked home, Ed joined him.

"Had fun?" he asked casually, smirking a little as the avatar jumped slightly.

"Ed! What are you doing here?" and after a second thought, added. "Yeah, it was loads of fun."

"I followed you."

"That's a little creepy."

"Mm hm."

Entering the cave, he had to dodge a flying boulder headed his way.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"Oh, it's you guys. Sorry."

He growled as he saw her lips curl into a smirk.

"NO, YOU'RE NOT! YOU KNEW IT WAS US!" he howled at the earthbender, who merely shrugged innocently.

"Where have you been?" Katara asked worriedly as she stood.

Sokka didn't look too concerned.

"I got invited to play hide and explode with some kids after school." Aang answered enthusiastically, sitting on the ground.

"After WHAT?" Sokka screeched, suddenly a whole lot more concerned than he was a few seconds ago.

"I got enrolled in a firenation school." Aang explained.

"Enrolled in WHAT?"

"I was there, it happened." Ed confirmed, before continiung glare at Toph, who stuck out her tongue in return.

* * *

The next day, Ed didn't follow Aang to school like some weirdo stalker, instead, he played 'Go Fish' with Momo.

Who was surprisingly intelligent enough to understand.

Therefore, he had no idea there would be a dance party, until Aang came home with his 'parents'.

And in hindsight, he didn't even know Aang had a room in this dirty old cave.

"Who knew twinkle-toes could dance?" Toph said, shaking her head with a smirk.

"Why dance parties?" he asked, sitting down. "Aren't we in the middle of war?"

"Exactly!" Sokka exclaimed, happy someone was finally agreeing with him.

"I think there's something going on between Aang and your sister." he pointed out.

"I give my consent."

Ed smirked; Sokka didn't look like he was that comfortable with the idea.

"If you say so."

Eventually though, the party's gotta stop.

The headmaster found out, thanks to some star student named. . . whats his name?

Oh yes, Hide.

What kind of name was that anyway?

His parents must have some deep psychological problem. . .

"I don't know about you, but I think we should leave, NOW." he suggested, looking at Sokka to confirm.

"I agree."


	9. The Painted Lady

It was disgusting, it was filthy, it was horrible, and it smelled like the colonel's socks.

Only worse.

Not that he knew what the colonel's socks smelled like.

He growled as another mosquito landed on him.

What was he- some sort of All-You-Can-Eat buffet?

The others didn't even seem bothered by it.

Aang was even playing in the river!

The damn river with the gooey thick murky brown water!

He gave an exasperated sigh as Sokka pulled his fishing liine from the water.

"It's friggin polluted, what did you expect?" he growled.

Really, what kind of idiot were they?

He didn't mean to be this rude, but he was hungry, the weather was humid, Aang just splashed mud all over him and he had bugs crawling over him with no intention of going away.

"Maybe we'll find some food somewhere else?" Katara suggested, turning to smile at him apologetically.

While it wasn't her fault for his misfortune, she felt bad for laughing.

* * *

He wrinkled his nose when he had laid his eyes on the small fishing town.

Kinda reminded him of Youswell.

Sorta.

Not that he was looking down on them, no, he was just wondering who ran the place.

Of course, he stopped wondering after he saw the Firenation factory.

He would've stopped to helped the townspeople, but Sokka had dragged him away before he managed to do anything.

While that may not have stopped him if the situation had been anything else, right now it did, because he just wanted to go home.

"APPA'S SICK? That's AWFUL!" came the very loud and sudden screech from Sokka that effectively snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Wow, Sokka, I didn't realize you cared so much." Toph commented sleepily – apparantly, she was also woken by the wondrous yell their dear Sokka had made.

"Of course I care!" Sokka cried, whipping out a scroll. "I might as well throw our schedule away now!"

He grinned as the other more compationate three glared at the 'schedule master'.

"And," Sokka added hurriedly. "I'm concerned because my big, furry friend doesn't feel well." he nuzzled Appa effectionately.

He sniggered.

"He must have gotten sick from being in the polluted water." Toph commented in monotone, making Ed question her apparent care for Appa.

"He doesn't look sick." Aang raised his head to look at Appa. "You okay, buddy?"

Appa answered with a loud growl.

"His tongue is purple." Aang fell to the floor with a worried expression. "That can't be good. Katara, can you heal him?"

Katara leaned over the purple bruise-like tongue.

"I think he needs some medicine. Maybe we can find the right herbs in town." she suggested.

Hearing that, he urned away from them all to make a head start on reaching the village.

He paused for a second as he registered what he was seeing.

And because he was almost hit in the face by a ball.

"Sorry, mister."

He let the boy off due to the fact that he had seen the same boy lying in bed coughing yesterday.

It seemed he had gotten better.

Which was odd; he had been coughing very hard the other day and he had been as pale as the moon, quite the contary to what he was seeing now.

"Is something. . . different around here?" Toph inquired, frowning a little as a little boy ran past her laughing.

"Everyone seems happier."

"Hey, Xu." Sokka called, running over to the shop they had bought last night's dinner from. "What's going on with everyone today?"

Xu finished his spoonful of. . . something and turned to them with a smile.

"Something amazing happened last night." Xu started enthusiastically. "Food was delivered to our village by a mysterious and wonderful person."

He took a step back as Xu hugged himself.

"The Painted Lady."

"The Painted who now?" Katara raised an eyebrow, while Sokka simply looked bored.

"The Painted Lady." Xu repeated - not at all discouraged by their reaction – took out a miniture statue of a woman. "They say she's a river spirit, who watches over our town in times of need. I always thought she's just a legend." Xu placed the statue on the counter fondly. "Until now."

He scoffed.

There was no such thing as spirits.

"See, we don't need to help these people." Sokka said, crossing his arms as he turned to his sister. "They already have someone to help them."

Ed vaguely recalled the both of them arguing about helping the town.

"All we need in medicine for our sick friend." Sokka stated firmly, holding his palm out towards Xu.

"Medicine? Sorry, all the medicine we have goes to the factory, that's why there's so many sick people in our village."

Katara seemed slightly pleased by that information, if the tilt of her lips was anything to go by.

Though he doubted anyone actually saw it besides him.

"Looks like we need to stay another night so Appa can rest."

Sokka sighed in dismay.

"I guess you're right." he turned to Xu. "You got any more food to sell?"

Xu disappeared underneath the counter before appearing again.

"Would you like the one-headed fish, or the two-headed fish?"

It didn't take long for Sokka to answer.

"Two-headed."

* * *

He awoke to the sweet sound. . . of yelling.

"-know you'ver been sneaking out at night, and I know you'ver been lying about Appa and-"

He rolled over and covered his ears with nearby grass.

It was WAY too early for this.

"Get up, Ed."

Did he just kick him?

Did Sokka just kick him in the stomach?

He growled as he threw his lump of grass at the boy's back.

He saw Toph smirk at him and growled at her too.

As he packed his things – not that there was much to pack, he travelled light – he heard something.

And not yelling this time.

It sounded like the cars back home.

Sokka rounded on Katara.

"What did you do?"

In his opinion, that was a little harsh.

"I. . . kinda destroyed their factory."

"You WHAT?"

"It was your idea!"

"I was joking!" Sokka defended angrily.

"It doesn't matter now." Ed interrupted. "Important thing is, the town's in trouble." he gestured towards the fishing town in exasperation.

That caught their attention.

* * *

He could't just stand by and watch them get bullied, could he?

Katara and Aang had it covered but there was no way in hell he'd play the flute.

Which was completely reasonable.

So, he had the job of rowing them to the town, where he was sure everyone was worshipping Katara's hard work and effort.

Which they should have been doing instead of being asses.

"How dare you act like our Painted Lady?"

"What have you done to our Painted Lady?"

"Leave, waterbender!"

This was like Lior all over again.

And was he going to stand on the sidelines this time?

No.

He sure as hell won't.

"Maybe she is a waterbender, but she was just trying to help you!" Sokka yelled, standing over his sister protectively. "Because of her, that factory won't be polluting your river, and the army is gone!"

"Eat shit, you ungrateful pile of crap." Ed added, crossing his arms.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aang pale at such vulgar words.

Oh yeah, the kid was a monk back then. . .

"Ed!"

"What? You saved their sorry asses, and it will remain a mystery to me as to why you would help these unworthy imbeciles." he growled.

Katara quickly took over before things went out of hand.

Which was good, because things would have spiralled out of control in a few more minutes.

Where Ed had been planning on deconstructing down a few houses himself.

"-Doesn't matter if the Painted Lady is real or not, because your problems are real, and this river is real. You can't wait around for someone to help you, you have to help yourself."

Katara was pretty good at handling things like these. . .

"She's what should we do?"

He sniggered as Toph appeared behind a villager.

"Maybe we can clean the river."

"Yeah! We can clean the river."

Though he had no idea how they would do such a thing, he knew for sure he was not helping.


	10. Sokka's Master

He ate his lunch slowly.

For once, actully chewing the food before swallowing it into his bottomless pit of a stomach.

He had a lot on his mind, and Sokka was not helping by just sitting there sulking.

This country was foreign.

Very different from his.

The animals looked like some sort of chimera, like the one on Katara's plate.

How she managed to eat that. . . thing without throwing up was beyond him.

The traditions were more or less the same however, thank the-god-he-doesn't-believe-in for that.

Any more weird glances from Toph and he would lose it.

Because it didn't matter if he didn't know who the hell she was!

He couldn't possibly remember the name of everyone in a country.

It didn't matter to him if she was a 'Bei Fong', whatever the hell that is.

It's not fair!

Ling owed him one.

Big time.

He pushed the rest of his lunch off the table and gave it to what looked like a deformed puppy.

Aang patted it happily.

Strange boy, the avatar.

Strange boy.

"These people have no idea how close they were to being toasted last night." Aang commented after looking around.

Ah, yes.

How could anyone forget what happened last night?

Where a giant rock pummelled him to the ground and someone had to drag him out.

His automail was crushed to tiny tiny tiny pieces.

Which he was currently keeping in a bag he transmuted.

He could already feel the wrench. . .

"Yeah, the worst thing about being in disguise, is that you don't get the hero worship anymore. I miss the love."

He snorted.

What disguise?

All they did was change their clothing.

Even forcing him to do the same.

People should be free to choose what they wanna wear!

"Boohoo, poor hero's."

He turned to Sokka with a frown.

There was something in his voice.

Something that reminded him eerily of Gran.

He had NOT forgotten the way he had been spoken to during their first encounter.

It was like the man was mocking him or something.

Not that it matters, Gran was dead now.

Good old Scar was helpful in some way after all.

"What's your problem? You haven't even touched your smoked sea-slug." Katara pointed at the thing beside Sokka with her chopsticks.

It didn't even look like food.

"It's just- all you guys can do this awesome bending stuff, like putting out forest fires and flying around, and making other stuff fly around,"

"I don't bend." he muttered, pouting a little as everyone shot him a glare to be quiet.

"I can't fly around, okay? I can't do anything."

Sokka was degrading himself.

That was not healthy; he knew that by experience.

"That's not true. No one can read a map like you."

"I can't read at all."

"Yeah! And who keeps us laughing with sarcastic comments all the time? I mean, look at Katara's hair, right? What's up with that?"

"What? What's wrong with my hair?"

In his opinion, all this bickering was not helping Sokka.

"Nothing,i was just trying to-"

In fact, it seemed to make the depressing mood worse.

"Look, I appreciate the effort. But the fact is, each of you is so amazing and so special, and i'm. . . not."

That was so sad.

And making him lose his appetite.

Which didn't really matter because he had just given his lunch to a chimera.

"I'm just the guy in the group who's regular."

He toyed with the fact that all this was coming from last night with Sokka being a lemur sitter as Katara walked over to her brother.

"I'm sorry you're feeling so down. But I hope you know that none of us see you that way."

Toph kicked him as he opened his mouth.

He glared at her.

"I know something that's going to make you feel better." Katara said with newfound enthusiasm, putting a comforting hand on Sokka's shoulder.

"You do?"

* * *

"SHOPPING!"

He sweatdropped as Sokka clapped childishly, running to inspect the jagged surface of a spear.

At least it was a weapon store...?

He didn't know if that counted as anything seeing as he didn't buy weapons.

Watching Sokka goof around was surprisingly exhausting.

Who knew the guy had so much energy.

And who knew Aang liked armour.

With spikes no less.

Isn't the kid supposed to be a monk?

He looked around the store, eyes roaming the handiworks.

Some were actually pretty neat.

Though there were no guns.

There were no such stores in Amestris.

At least, not that he knew of.

Oh right!

Havoc ran one, and that Rebecca lady that seemed to like Hawkeye so much, probably because Hawkeye bought her guns there.

Maybe.

Hawkeye didn't really specify where she got her guns, and no one really cared to ask due to the fact that the main thought in everyone's minds at the time was getting the gun shoved in their faces gone.

Something caught his eye.

His breath halted for a few seconds before he exhaled slowly.

"Ignition gloves!"

Mustang said there was no way he'd find one seeing as they were made from rare materials, and only he, the Great Flame Alchemist, knew where to get them.

Looks like the bastard was wrong.

He fingered them thoughtfully.

"That is the latest design for archery gloves."

He turned to see a man in his mid fifties, probably a sales man.

"Archery gloves, huh?" he murmured, looking them over again.

He raised his head to look at the man.

"How much?"

"Not much."

* * *

He walked up to his charges with newfound happiness.

**Think I just spooked Toph.**

He mused lightly after he flashed the earthbender a smirk and she stumbled.

"That's what you needed all along, Sokka!" Aang exclaimed, not noticing his presence, which was right behind him.

The kid would fail in survival training...

"A sword?"

"Not the sword! A master."

Sokka took down the sword from a wall dubiously.

"We've all had masters to help us get better, you should see if you can study with Piandao."

Weren't they on a tight schedule?

How on earth would they have time for this?"

"That's a great idea!" Katara piped up. "I could've never gotten where I am without Master Pakku. Everyone needs a teacher."

"I learn from badgermoles." Toph offered with a small smile. "They don't talk, but they're still good teachers."

Sokka was considering his options, and it was taking too bloody long.

"It would be nice to be master sword fighter..."

He didn't think these children understood war.

They should've been prepared before they started their journey.

"Alright! I'll talk to him."

There was a chance this 'Piandao' would reject Sokka; if he was as well known and famous as they say, won't there be a range of people wanting to be his student?

**How does Sokka stand a chance if he can't even hold a sword right?**

But he preferred to keep these thoughts to himself.

Sokka seemed so excited after all.

And it was kinda rude to burst someone's bubble.

* * *

Surprisingly, Piandao accepted Sokka as a student.

He was more than shocked at the news, and maybe a little doubtful.

However, he dismissed it due to the fact he finally had free time for training and he had to somehow fix his automail so Winry wouldn't notice...

He couldn't see that happening.

But for now, he'd just have to make do.

He couldn't possibly call his childhood friend over in the middle of a war torn country.

It was too dangerous and Al would probably yell at him for interrupting their honeymoon or something.

He clapped, trying to put the pieces back.

Failing miserably.

He needed some tools if he were to put them back.

Metal tools.

He had sent Momo to get some, and the lemur had yet to come back.

Irritating.

He'd have to transmute tools from the earth then.

"Wha'cha doing?"

"Fixing my limbs."

Toph paled.

Yeah...

They had freaked after seeing his automail crushed, believing that to be his real limbs before seeing the metal pieces.

He refused to explain, and they had the liberty of not asking.

"Does it hurt?"

He started; not expecting the sudden question.

"Not really."

"You're lying."

He scowled, but left it at that.

"I can help."

"I doubt it."

"Do you even know what you're doing?"

He paused before answering. "Yes."

"You're lying."

He clicked his tongue irritably.

"I can help. I know how it works."

"Somehow, I doubt that." he drawled, earning him a punch on the arm, which he couldn't avoid due to the fact he was missing 2 limbs.

"Taking advantage of my disability." he mumbled, making Toph smirk.

"When I was young, my toy broke, and my parent called someone in to fix it. I watched the entire process. It was facinating. I have never seen those before though." she pointed at his crushed automail. "But I do know a little about machines."

Grudgingly, he pushed the pieces to her.

She picked up the screwdriver.

"So what were you so happy about?" she asked in an attempt to converse.

"I bought something." he answered shortly, shrugging.

"Really? What?"

"Gloves."

She raised an eyebrow. "Gloves? That's what made you so happy?"

"They're not ordinary gloves." he defended.

"Then what are they?"

"I'll show you." he huffed, taking the white gloves from his bag.

Toph eyed it suspiciously. "You know Katara would rather you wear red gloves, right?"

He ignored her, simply taking his red gloves off and slipping the white one on.

He was slightly nervous due to the fact he had never tried this before and he might blow the whole place up.

However, if he didn't try, he'd never know.

So he invisioned the array, and snapped, wincing a little.

A flame the size of his fist appeared, and he sighed in relief.

"Woah!" Toph lost her balance on the rock she was sitting on and fell to the ground.

He would've allowed her to try if fire alchemy wasn't so dangerous.

"You can firebend too?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, I can't bend."

"Then what is that?"

"Alchemy."

"Which is..?"

He stubbornly ignored her question.

In a flash, she took his gloves.

He started. "Hey!"

"I guess these help you firebend, huh?" she waved it infront of his face, just out of his reach.

Dammit, he couldn't stand without a searing pain in his leg.

"Aang! Katara! Get over here!" she hollored, a smirk on her lips.

He growled, making a grab for the goves only to miss as Toph took a step back.

Great, now she was well out of his reach.

"What is it?" Aang panted, looking around for threats.

Katara placed her hands on her hips as she realized no one was in danger.

"These can firebend!" Toph said smugly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes, making him growl again.

Katara and Aang stared at the gloves before Katara spoke.

"Toph, we know it's boring and all, but do you really have to sca-"

"No really." Toph slipped the gloves on. "Watch."

She snapped her fingers and his eyes widened.

He slammed his palm onto the ground and covered Katara and Aang from the burst of flame that left Appa roaring.

He stood, ignoring the blinding pain on his left leg, and stumbling over to the stunned and perhaps a little horrified earthbender.

Ripping the gloves from her hands, he proceeded to yell at her for nearly killing them all.

"YOU ALMOST FRIED YOUR FRIENDS!" he pocketed the gloves furiously. "IT IS DANGEROUS IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! WE COULD'VE BEEN CHARCOAL!" he snarled, shaking her roughly.

"Toph!" Katara and Aang ran over to their friend.

"What was that for?" Aang yelled, wrenching Toph from his grip.

"One mistake and we all die! You should know fire is not a toy! If I hadn't defended you then, do you think we would be having this argument?!"

He didn't give them a chance to say anything else.

* * *

He found her sitting by herself on a boulder.

Walking over, she stiffened, turning her head slightly in his direction.

"I'm...sorry for grabbing you." he apologized gruffly, feeling more than awkward in this situation. "And thanks for fixing my limbs."

She nodded. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have simply done...that."

It was silent for a few moments, where he sat down beside her.

"Friends?"

He eyed her outstretched hand before grasping it firmly.

"Friends."

Two sighs of relief were heard behind them.

He felt vaguely irritated he hadn't sensed them.

"So, Ed. Now that everything's alright, maybe you could teach Aang firebending?"

He didn't even bother correcting them anymore.

"I don't wanna."

"Why not?!"

"Why don't you learn it your way?"

"But Aang doesn't have a firebanding master!"

"He'll find one."

"But-"

"It's too dangerous." he snapped.

"He's right, Katara." Aang interrupted. "It's best if I learned it frm a firebending master."

He nodded in agreement.

Katara sighed.

"Fine." she said grudgingly.

* * *

Days passed with literally nothing to do, until he got his first proper look at Sokka's master.

Said 'regular guy' earned a little respect from him when he confessed to his master he had lied.

It took courage to do that.

He smiled in approval.

Something his friends found completely inappropriate in this situation, due to the fact Sokka and Piandao was fighting to the death.

Though he personally disagreed.

The boy would be fine...

There was no glimmer of murder in Piandao's eyes; he had been around criminals for far too long.

As Aang, Katara and Toph jumped down to keep Sokka from getting his throat slit, he stayed, leaning on the railing and quite content with watching everything from afar.

"I think i'm a little too old to be fighting the avatar."

Now that was a surprise.

He narrowed his eyes, but other than that, did nothing.

"How did you know?"

"Oh, i've been around a while; pick things up. Of course I knew from the beginning that Sokka was watertribe."

He noted the look of guilt and shame on Sokka's face, and felt iritated Piandao discarded the fact Sokka had owned up to the lie.

Even if Sokka wasn't his favourite among the group, he had formed some sort of weird, friend-brother bond thing with him.

And he always defended his friends.

"You might want to think about a firenation cover name. Try Lee, there are many Lee's."

It was most probably how Piandao took everything in a stride as if this - avatars and friends popping out of nowhere to receive training from him - was normal, that set him on edge.

"But why did you agree to train someone from the watertribe?"

"The way of the sword doesn't belong to anyone nation. Knowledge of the art belongs to us all."

"Were you even going to hurt Sokka?" Aang asked skeptically.

"No. Your friend knew that." Piandao turned to him, and he shrugged.

"If you were trying, Sokka would be a bloody pile on the ground." he said bluntly, making everyone sweatdrop.

"Very observant."

He shrugged the praise away, deeming it unimportant.

He already knew how great he was, he didn't need anyone else telling him.

"A friendly spar?"

"Swords are not my forte."

"That's okay."

So much for rejecting the offer...

He clapped, and transmuted a sword from the groud.

He didn't usually use swords. Blades were more his type, but it doesn't really matter.

He was itching to test the automail Toph had helped rebuild.

It felt weird and more than a little uncomfortable but...it would do for now.

"I'll fix that." he told the horrified butler as he glanced at the ground he had transmuted.

Sliding into a stance, he allowed his oppponent to make the first move.

He mostly relied on his 'monkey-like' abilities to jump and dodge than his sword.

Not that he'd ever say that outloud.

He would've swept the guy off the ground and maybe thrown a punch or two like he preferred, but sword fights weren't like that.

That was why it was called 'sword' fight.

He learnt that much from Ling during his stay in Xing.

Said emperor had whined about him cheating for days...

Not that he cared.

The sore loser would just have to bear losing every now and then.

Back to the sword fight at hand.

Piandao was very good, almost like Slicer without the evil.

Perhaps even better than Teacher.

If only-

"Ng."

His sword was forced out of his hand.

He back flipped and caught it again.

Note to self: when fighting a sword master, do not day dream.

The next thing he knew, he was pinned against the wall with a sword to his throat, though it didn't matter, because his own sword was already touching Piandao's neck.

The sword master took a step back.

"It's been a long time since I had such a spar." he commented. "You are very good, you must've had a good teacher."

"Yeah... she beat us up while reading a cookbook."

"Us?"

"Me and my brother would team up and try to take her down. We never will."

"Never give up."

"No, she's dead."

There was a short silence.

"I am sorry."

"Aren't we all." he muttered bitterly.

* * *

"You're too late. Even if you weren't, this is not a screwdriver, it's a damn banana."

"Don't take your anger out on Momo!" Aang pulled the lemur away from his friend, who had been in a sour mood since leaving the mansion. "He's innocent."

"Would you rather I take it out on you?" he growled, giving the avatar a lethal glare.

"No fighting!" Katara snapped, before turning to him with a gentler tone. "Ed, do you want to talk about it?"

He scowled.

"I'm not a child!"

For once, Toph didn't comment, merely staying silent behind him.

"This is about your teacher, isn't it?"

He pretended not to hear the quiet question the avatar had asked, but he might as well have stood right in front of the boy.

He had forced the depressing thoughts out of his head - destroyed them with thoughts of food, Al, enemies, food – then that damn brat brought it to the front of his mind again.

"Firenations killed my teacher, but he would've wanted me to move on."

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

"I think your teacher would have too, after all, she must've loved you very much."

"That would be great and all." he snarled, whipping around. "If I wasn't just _there_ and still didn't manage to save her."

There was a slight pause, and he turned again to continue walking.

Some things were better left alone after all.

The sunset bled a blood red that evening.

He pretended not to notice.


	11. Metal Man?

He watched in disbelief from his spot on a boulder as his supposed-to-save-the-world charges swam in the lake they had recently discovered.

It was most probably the fact that they were on a deadline and was _swimming, _that made his jaw go slack.

Did no one care at all that they were in an exposed area?

What had happened to their schedule master?

Why had everyone let their guards down?

Was he the only one that worried?

"Hey, Aang! Cover up your arrows! What if someone sees you?"

Well, except for her.

Which was good.

Because he was starting to doubt they were who they said they were.

Those adventure stories Sokka told had sounded a little too much. . .

He frowned, crossing his arms.

Eventually, someone was going to discover them, and things wouldn't go as smoothly as they planned.

Casualties were not uncommon in war, after all.

There had to be some reason why these people didn't understand that very simple fact!

Right, remain calm.

Remain calm and not blow up in anger and fustration infront of children.

That was easy enough for him to-

"SOKKA! WHAT THE HELL?"

"What?"

He growled lowly, pushing himself off the boulder.

"Put some underwear on!"

Sokka turned a red very close to his coat.

* * *

He sat up arubtly, eyes darting around; trying to figure out where that feeling was coming from.

The one that sent shivers up his spine and made him feel like transmuting his blade.

Yes, the danger one.

He caught Toph's grim gaze.

"You feel that too?"

He nodded cautiously, standing.

"Guys. . . I know this might sound crazy, but it feels like a metal man is coming towards us."

He did not know that.

And it did sound crazy.

Unless the man had automail.

He clapped, transmuting a dome above their head while shooting Sokka out of his bed as the boy mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'five more minutes and you can blow me up'.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance Sokka started yelling at him.

They did not have time for this!

Did he not understand their very dangerous situation here?!

"Shut the fuck up and look, Sokka!" he snarled, taking a step back as the attacker bombed his dome.

"This won't hold out for long. We'd better leave."

He completely agreed with Katara, and had taken to ignoring her brother.

"Alright."

"I distract him, you guys escape on Appa." Aang yelled over all the commotion.

He thought over his options.

Let his charge head into danger while he escaped, and risk letting Mustang find out, or protect his chrage like he was supposed to and boast in Mustang's irritating face.

Hm... the choice was so obvious he didn't know why he needed to think at all.

He created a small hole to peek out; if he was to capture his attacker, he would need to see him.

It was still dark, and the dust from exploding rocks were not helping.

But he managed to see an outline in a distance, and if he wasn't mistaken, that was his target.

He slammed his hands onto the ground, and blue alchemic light crackled, a fist shooting out of the ground to grab the figure.

He destroyed the dome.

A little too soon.

He cursed as he realized the figure was no man.

It was a boulder.

He had grabbed the wrong one.

Despite feeling a little put off and more than peeved at his mistake, he couldn't afford to whine now.

Perhaps later, over a warm fire or something.

He locked gazes with a man in the distance; a man with a deep frown and...is that an extra eye?

Well, obviously he had found who he had been looking for.

All thats left... is to transmute him in place.

He clapped, and trapped the man in a giant fist.

After double checking if this really was the attacker and not another damn rock, he turned around to face his charges.

"Or we can all just escape on Appa." Aang said with a pleased grin, bending over to pull him up onto the flying bison.

"That was random." Sokka commented, looking back as another explosion hit the air.

"I don't think so. I get the feeling he knows who we are."

"And that's why we need to cover our tatoo's from now on." he muttered, looking at Aang pointedly, who had the decency to shrug with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry...?"

"You'd better be sorry." he grumbled, turning away.


	12. The Avatar and The Firelord

Stopping on some island because a person in a dream told you to was insane, and a little dangerous too.

At least, that was his perspective of their current situation.

But as usual, no one cared what he had to say.

No.

Just follow the dead man in your dream because it'll all turn out fine.

Just peachy.

This might possibly be the strangest mission he had ever had the displeasure of going on.

"Go fish."

"Ed, we're playing poker."

He snorted. "No, you're playing poker. Momo and I have been playing Go Fish."

He felt their gaze bore into him.

"Ed, are you okay?"

"Momo's a flying lemur, he doesn't play anything." Sokka muttered, tossing in his cards.

Momo seemed to take that as an insult.

He laughed as the lemur attacked the boy with rocks.

Katara giggled, but threw Toph a half-hearted disapproving glare when the earthbender joined in with the rock abuse.

"That's not nice."

"You don't seem to be trying to stop it." he shot at her, smirking widely.

Katara decided to ignore that.

Honestly, he didn't lnow why she even tried to be mature.

Because as far as he knew, mature people weren't the slightest bit fun.

_**I mean, look at Mustang.**_

It's so obvious, why would anyone want to be an adult?

Although, their rag-tag team was in need of one, otherwise no one would help them cook, clean, and do various jobs adults have to do because children are fr too incompetant.

Not that he was incompetant.

He was just saying cooking was not his forte and that even the boot he fed Ling was better than his pathetic attempt at breakfast.

If one ould even call it breakfast.

"What- Momo! I know it was you! You can't switch the cards! It's not fair!"

The lemur merely threw down a five.

"Damn you!"

"Ed... I think we should eat lunch."

He barely paid attention to what she just said.

"Eat what? We're on an island." he grumbled absentmindedly, throwing the rest of his cards at Momo's seemingly smug face.

"I'm never playing with you again!"

* * *

He was never good at these kind of things.

He certainly wasn't good at listening while someone was annoying him.

In this case, something.

"Momo! Would you quit it? I WIN by default!" he hissed, wrenching his hair from the agitated lemur.

Turning his back on it, he listened to Aang explain the whole war back story.

_**As if I hadn't heard enough.**_

"So even after Roku spare him, Sozin betrayed him?"

That was why he never gave villians second chances.

The risk was just too great.

What kind of maniac would spare someone who tried to take over the world by force?

Aang's past self.

That's who.

He should've known.

"It's like these people are born bad." Toph said with narrowed eyes.

"I don't think that's what Roku wanted to show me."

He raised an eyebrow.

Then, pray tell, what was the message the dead man was trying to send across?

"Well, what did he want to show you?"

Aang seemed more than happy to explain.

"Roku was just as much firenation as Sozin was, right? If anything, their story proves that anyone is capable of great good and great evil. Everyone, even the firelord and the firenation have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance."

He snorted.

Aang glared at him for a few short seconds before continuing.

"And I also think it was about friendship."

"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" Toph asked softly, staring at the ground.

Aang took hold of her hand. "I don't see why not."

Katara smiled, doing the same.

"Well scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove that." Sokka drawled, stroking his chin as he looked away.

"Oh Sokka, just hold hands!"

Sokka paused for a few minutes before taking his sister's hand.

He raised an eyebrow at everyone's hopeful look.

"What?"

Although he did know what they were trying to say.

"Take it."

He eyed Aang's outstretched hand warily.

"Why?"

"Just take it!"

"We argued yesterday." he pointed out.

"Ed..."

He frowned.

Friends.

Weird.

He never had any offical friends.

Except Winry.

But she didn't count.

The guys in the office didn't count either.

Mustang was a bastard.

Falman rarely spoke to him.

Fuery was more of a pet.

Breda and Havoc were just plain annoying.

Hawkeye was the mother he was missing, though he'd probably never tell her that.

It had always been Al; help Al, save Al, pick Al up, remember Al, restore Al, back Al up, and the list goes on...

Yeah, Al and Winry were the only ones he had.

Al didn't even count because he was a brother.

He realized he had been staring at Aang's hand too long, and the avatar had finally grabbed his.

"What are you-"

"We ARE friends, Ed, no matter what you think."

He frowned again.

Being his friend was dangerous, it wasn't safe.

Thus the life of a military personel.

However, no one was here at the moment...

So he allowed them – and himself – to dream for a while.

Just a little while.


	13. The Runaway

He jumped off Appa and simply lay on the ground unmoving and face-down.

Ignoring everything else as he enjoyed the feeling of stable grounds beneath his feet.

He vaguely heard Aang ask if he was okay, but didn't answer.

"Katara, I think he's dead!"

He snorted, rolling around to face the worried airbender.

"Ed! You're not dead! For a second there I thought something happened!"

"Yeah. Your bison happened." he retorted, crossing his arms and turning over to face the ground again.

"You know, if you keep rolling around like that, you're going to fall off the cliff." Toph commented, bending over him with a smirk.

"I won't." his voice was muffled, but he was sure they could hear him.

Which was why he immediately stood.

Who knows what would've happened if he laid there with Toph standing over him.

She probably already had plans of throwing him off the cliff herself.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she smirked.

Damn her.

He watched as she and Katara took Aang by the hand to train him in water and earth bending.

As soon as the witch was out of sight, he laid on the ground again.

Perfectly content with staying like that all day.

Alas, twas not to be.

"Hey, Ed? Do you think you could teach me a few tricks to swordfighting?"

He groaned, but after watching Sokka slash at nothing for half an hour, he complied, feeling sorry for the teen.

"No, no, no, Sokka!"

Sokka paused.

"You don't just walk into enemy arms!"

"But you did-"

"Because i'm me, and you...are you."

He stared back as Sokka glared at him with narrowed eyes and a pout.

"I resent that."

"Of course." he drawled. "Now charge at me."

"But you just said-"

"We are training, Sokka." he said in exasperation as he rubbed him temples.

"Right..."

The water tribe teen charged, but he held out his hand to stop him.

Sokka skidded to a stop, and lost his balance; falling into the mud that had sploshed over to their side of the cliff from Katara, Toph and Aang's training.

"Don't scream like that!" he snapped in annoyance. "You'll alert the enemy."

"But it's cool!"

"I hardly think that matters when you die." he said flatly.

Just then, a pile of mud came flying, and he ducked, making it hit Sokka in the face.

He laughed loudly, pointing at his student, making said student get ideas and try to throw some mud at him as well.

He dodged, and it missed.

Sokka scowled, but was distracted as arguing sounded from over the boulders.

They peered over.

He blinked as he saw the two females fighting.

Weren't they suppose to train Aang?

He was too slow to stop Sokka from charging at Aang.

The _idiot_ got a stupid idea in his head; forgetting what he taught him just a few minutes ago.

"SNEAK ATTAAAAAACK!"

Aang didn't even need to look as he stopped Sokka with an earth wall.

"Sokka, sneak attacks don't work if you yell them out loud." Aang said good-naturedly as he took off the blindfold.

He stomped over and gave his student a good smack on the head.

"That's what I just told him." he glared, before turning to Aang. "So, what are your teachers doing?"

Aang seemed to suddenly remember them.

"Uh, guys?" he asked tentatively. "I thought we were supposed to be training me?"

Katara and Toph stopped arubtly.

Katara took a few steps back and attempted to regain the last of her dignity.

"Very well, pupil Aang." she said stiffly. "I believe we've had enough training for one day."

He watched as she walked away.

Women...

"While Katara cleans up, lets go have some fun." Toph cleaned herself rather quickly with her earthbending; that was useful.

""YEAH!""

"I'll...continue my training." he said disinterestedly, nodding to himself.

"Suit yourself."

He walked over to Appa and plopped himself onto the ground, but not lying face-down this time.

After a while, Katara joined him.

"Where are the others?"

"Having fun." he replied boredly, tracing figures in the mud.

Katara huffed before starting on her lotus root soup.

* * *

They came back at around 2 o' clock, carrying more than enough food for everyone.

Yes, real food.

He walked past them, grabbing a pear and taking a huge bite out of it.

They threw the baskets infront of Katara, who paused in her stirring.

"Where'd you find all the money to get these stuff?" she asked worriedly, looking up at them once she was finished inspecting the food.

"Toph got us money." Aang was more than happy to share the tale as he sat down. "She scammed one of those guys in town who moved the shells all sneaky-like."

Katara didn't look too happy though...

_**If I were him, i'd stop talking right now...**_

He mused with a small smirk.

"She used earthbending to win the game; classic!" Sokka added in.

"So...she cheated." Katara summarized, turning to Toph disapprovingly.

The earthbender took offense to that.

"Hey, I only cheated because he was cheating. What's wrong with that?" she shrugged smugly.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that." he commented from the side.

Katara shot him a look that clearly said 'You're not helping.'

He simply shrugged. "Where did you think I got the money to buy gloves?"

"Ed!"

"See?" Toph gestured at him. "He does it."

"I'm just saying, you shouldn't make a habit out of making these scams."

"Katara, I personally make you an avatar promise that we won't make a habit out of making these scams."

* * *

He smirked at them as they came back with money for the hundredth time.

So much for promises.

"It was a good promise while it lasted." he told Aang, who had the decency to flush with embarrasment.

Katara approached them, and he immediately turned to Appa, not wanting to be caught talking to the 'scammers' as Katara so nicely put it.

"Guys, I think this has gone on far enough." Katara started, making Toph stop smiling. "If you keep doing that, something bad is going to happen."

"Would you for once stop being such a sour puss and lighten up?" Toph asked in exasperation, tossing Katara a coin.

Katara caught it. "Oh, i'm sorry. You think I should be more like you?" she asked as she looked the coin over. "Like some wild child?"

Toph didn't seem too insulted by that, if anything, she seemed pleased, if that smile on her face was anything to go by. "Yeah, maybe."

Katara threw the coin on the ground, where Sokka picked it up.

"Maybe then you'd see how great we have it. I mean look at us, we're travelling around the world; making easy money and having fun." Toph leaned on a boulder with her hands on her head. "With no parents to tell us what to do."

Katara's eyes widened, before she put on a mock thoughtful look on her face.

He pursed his lips warily, knowing what coming out of the waterbenders mouth was not going to be kind.

"Ah, I see. You're acting like this because of your parents."

"Whatever."

His eyes flickered to Toph before looking at Katara again.

The waterbender shouldn't push it...

Whatever past Toph had with her parents was history, and not to be toyed with.

"They were controlling you so you ran away, and now you act like your parents don't exist." Katara pointed at the earthbender. "You act lke you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty."

She should really shut up.

Forcefully bringing up thoughts others don't want to think about – it made him want to punch something.

"I do hate them."

"I don't think so." Katara said softly. "I think you miss them." her tone became louder then. "But you just don't want to deal with that, so instead you act like this crazy person."

Toph stood, a glare directed at the other female.

"Look, I ran away to help Aang."

"You know what? It doesn't matter. These scams put us all at risk and we don't need that. We've already got some third-eyed freak after us."

"Speaking of that third-eyed freak," Sokka interrupted, as if he hadn't been witnessing an argument. "I think i've come up with a name for him. What do you think of... Sparky Sparky Boom Man?"

He facepalmed, groaning at the incompetant _fool_.

"Just think about it."

"We have enough money, you need to stop this!" Katara continued, not even hearing her brother.

"I'll stop when I want to stop and not when you tell me!" Toph retorted angrily as she stomped her foot; catapulting her bag of coins onto her hand before brushing past Katara and locking herself in an earth tent.

"Speaking of money, i'm off to spend some. See you guys later." Sokka waved, walking away.

Did that buffoon have no idea what just happened?

How could he act so calm and joyous after...that?

He growled lowly.

Katara caught his glare.

"What?"

He turned away from her.

"Don't tell me you approve of her behaviour!"

"No, I don't." he gritted out.

"But I wouldn't have stooped so low as to bring her parents into the argument."

* * *

He sat next to the avatar, drinking a bowl of Katara's lotus root soup.

Which surprisingly, didn't taste that bad.

He glared as Momo made a grab at his hair.

He still hadn't forgiven the lemur yet, and he doubted he ever would.

He looked up as Sokka and Toph came back and nodded at them in acknowledgement.

Sokka ignored him while Toph inclined her head towards him.

"Well, look who decided to join us."

Oh no...

Not again.

Why won't women just give it a rest?

"Where have you two been? Off scamming again?" Katara asked accusingly with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, we were." Toph answered slowly.

"And I suppose you don't think what you're doing is dangerous at all?"

"No, I don't."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Well then," Katara started, whipping out a piece of paper. "What's this?"

"I don't know! What is with you people? I'm blind!"

She does have a point.

"It's a wanted poster of you. The Runaway. Is that what you're called now? Are you proud of this?"

"Where did you get that?"

"It doesn't matter where I got it, the fact is-"

"You went through my stuff! You had no right!"

Come to think of it, he had seen Katara come out of Toph's earth tent.

Of course, he had questioned her, but she brushed him off, saying something about lunch.

He should've been more suspicious.

He would've been more suspicious, if Momo hadn't been tugging at his coat.

He swore that lemur had something against him.

"You're stuff was messy, and I was just straightening up, and I happened to stumble across it!"

"That's a lie! You're lying, Katara!" Toph yelled, pointing at the waterbender with a glare.

Katara glared back until it became obvious Toph was not going to let this go.

"Fine! It's a lie!" Katara snapped, pushing the finger infront of her face away.

Even if she hadn't confessed, there was no way she would straighten up Toph's things willingly due to their current rocky relationship.

"But you've been so out of control lately, I knew something was up! I knew you were hiding something, and you were!"

Toph shoved the piece of paper out of her face and stormed off.

"Don't you walk away from me when i'm talking to you!"

This was getting real ugly, real fast...

"Oh really, _mom_? What're you going to do? Send me to my room?"

"I wish I could."

"Well you can't! Because you're not my mom, and you're not their mom!"

He didn't know when the conversation turned to them.

He was sure Aang and Sokka didn't either.

"I never said I was!"

"No, but you certainly act like it! You think it's your job to boss everyone around, but it's not! You're just a regular kid like the rest of us! So stop acting like you can tell me what to do! I can do whatever I want!"

Katara looked taken aback as she glanced at the ground for a few seconds before answering.

Which gave him an insight on what Katara thought.

"I don't act that way."

She blew her chance.

That statement was more of a question than anything.

"Sokka! Do I act motherly?"

Sokka jumped a little as his sister's attention was on him.

"Hey, i'm staying out of this one." he finally said, looking away.

"What do you think, Aang? Do I act like a mom?"

Aang looked like he expected the question, but it was obvious he had not expected her command.

"Um... i... well, i..."

"Stop rubbing your eye and speak clearly while you talk!"

"Yes, ma'm!"

He tensed as she turned to him.

"What do you think, Ed? Do I act like a mom?"

"... Sometimes, I mean it's not really a bad thing, because we don't really know how to take care of ourselves, and without you, I think we would be in pretty bad shape..." he mumbled, averting his eyes as he stopped talking altogether and instead stared at the ground.

He really didn't like arguments involving women.

They had the tendency to hurt him when he got involved.

Like Hawkeye, and Teacher, and General Armstrong, and Winry...

He could fight a woman just fine.

But if it was arguments, he preferred to keep to himself.

"I can't be around you right now!" Toph snapped, turning around and walking away.

"Well I can't be around you!" Katara yelled, storming off too.

He was sure it would blow over soon enough.

Girls were like that.

"...Wanna play Go Fish?"

Momo nodded.

* * *

He supposed he should've ignored his gut instinct and go to sleep.

Wake up.

Find the girls gone.

And go after them.

Yes, he should've done just that!

But did he?

No!

He just had to stalk them to make sure they don't land into any trouble.

If he didn't, everything would've been fine!

He would've been training, eating soup, not stuck in a wooden cage!

Technically, he wasn't stuck, but he was prettty irritated at them for landing him in this mess.

He turned to glare at Toph and Katara one more time before standing up.

At least they had the decency to look embarrassed.

He clapped, and destroyed the cell door.

"We're leaving." he said sharply.

He didn't look back to make sure they followed or not.

After knocking the last guard out, he swung open the door and exited the building.

Only to have his annoyance increase as he saw what was happening.

He left his charge for an hour and a half.

Two hours at most.

And he was already in trouble!

Fighting 'Sparky Sparky Boom Man'.

Fantastic.

No really.

Great.

Excellent.

He growled lowly.

_**This must be how the bastard felt... i feel guilty.**_

He paused for a few minutes before smacking himself.

_**I'm sympathizing with Mustang! Damn this mission!**_

"What's going on?"

"Sparky Sparky Boom Man found us!" Aang yelled.

"I'm starting to think that name doesn't quiet fit."

He clicked his tongue irritably.

This was not the time.

He pulled Sokka along as they ran as far away as they could from the pyscho.

"Hey, I got it!"

He glanced at the teen he was dragging.

"The perfect name for that guy! Combustion man!"

That was it.

He let go of the collar and simply left Sokka there.


	14. The Puppetmaster

He was sure they would be behind schedule due to all the stops they had made.

Positive.

Sokka had cared so much about the time a few days ago.

Now it seemed like it didn't even exist.

He wondered if this was what ignorance looked like.

If this was what normal teenagers did.

As he sat between the roots of a dead tree, listening to Sokka, he wondered if this was what he'd be doing if he hadn't performed human transmutation.

"-heard something down the hall, and in the dark. 'Ooooooh'. It came into the torchlight, and they knew," Sokka paused dramatically. "The blade of Wing Fan was haunted! Oooaaaaaaaaaah!"

The last impression turned into a scream.

Who knew Sokka had such a high-pitched voice?

No one else seemed affected though.

Actually, they looked almost bored.

"I think I like the man with the sword for a hand better." Aang spoke up, cocking his head to look at a disappointed Sokka.

"Water tribe slumber parties must stink." Toph chimed in.

He had heard the term 'slumber party' before.

It was fuzzy in his memories, but he was sure he had attended one before.

Maybe when he was three or four years old..?

At the Rockbells.

If he remembered correctly, they stayed up playing puzzles.

Which he had solved in a matter of seconds.

Resulting to a smack on the head for finishing without allowing Winry and Al to try.

"No, wait. I've got one."

He looked at Katara, leaning back on the trunk of the tree while waiting for her to speak.

Aunt Sara had told a story to make them go to bed.

It worked.

He racked his brains to remember the story... it had been a scary one.

Although as he grew up, he lost his fear of the thing.

The thing...

Right!

The monster in the closet.

Looking back, it had been silly to be afraid of something like that.

"This is a true Southern Watertribe story."

"Is this one of those friend-of-my-cousin-knew-some-guy-that-this-happened-to stories?" Sokka asked, sitting down.

"No." Katara glanced at her brother. "It happened to mom."

Sokka straightened immediately, Aang sat up and Toph turned to look at her.

"One winter, when mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village. A month later, mom realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So mom and some others went to check on Nini's family." Katara glanced at him, and he averted his eyes.

Her tone made him wary.

"When they got there, no one was home. Just a fire, flickering in the fire place."

Sokka was getting uneasy; the teen was inching closer to him.

"While the men went out to search, mom stayed in the house. Suddenly, when she was alone, she heard a voice."

Aang's eyes were darting around frantically, as if expecting to see the little girl hiding somewhere.

He glanced at the avatar before turning his attention to the story again.

"'It's so cold, and I can't get warm.'" Katara turned to Sokka, who quickly leaned back. "Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue, like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help, but when everyone came back, Nini was gone."

Somehow, sometime during the story, Sokka had joined him between the roots of the tree he had been residing in.

Annoyance flashed in his eyes as he tried to push the teen away.

Who refused to budge.

"Where did she go?" Sokka asked his sister shakily as he peered over a large root.

"No one knows. Nini's house stands empty to this day." Katara looked at them all for a few seconds before continuing. "But sometimes, people see smoke coming out from the chimney. Like little Nini is still trying to get warm."

A tense silence followed, and Sokka was still refusing to move away from him.

Toph gasped, suddenly placing her palms on the ground.

"Wait! Guys, did you hear that?"

Aang and Sokka jumped towards Katara, hugging her like a lifeline.

He paid little attention to them, simply narrowing his eyes as he strained to hear what Toph had heard.

"I hear people under the moantain." she stood, looking to the right. "And they're screaming."

Sokka allowed his arms to fall to the ground as he looked at Toph with a scoff.

"Nice try."

"No, i'm serious."

He didn't doubt her.

Not when she was using that tone.

"I hear something."

"You're probably just jumpy from-from the ghost stories." Katara stammered with a tight smile.

"It just stopped."

He brought his palms closer together; for precautions.

"Alright. Now i'm getting scared."

"Hello children."

He stood quickly and Toph tensed as everyone else screamed.

He was never going to let Momo live it down either.

He was suddenly grabbed by Sokka as the teen pushed him into a hug with Toph, who also seemed to have been pushed into the hug by Aang and Katara.

"Sorry to frighten you."

He narrowed his eyes at the figure in the dark, and didn't lay off until it came into the firelight.

A woman.

An old woman.

Looked friendly enough, though there was an air around her that was...odd.

"My name is Hama. You children shouldn't be out here by yourselves at night."

As Sokka let him go, he took two steps away from them, incase they tried to pull him into another hug.

Suddenly proccessing what the woman – Hama – had said, he glared.

"I am not a child."

"Ed!"

"I have an inn nearby, why don't you come back there and have some spice tea and warm beds?"

He was about to reject the idea – taking up offers from old woman in the forest didn't sound like a good idea – when Sokka decided for the rest of them.

"Yes, please."

* * *

He nodded towards the woman in appreciation as she poured him a drink.

Hama smiled at him before moving away.

"Thanks for letting us stay tonight." Katara said, resting her chin on her palm. "You have a lovely inn."

"Aren't you sweet." Hama smiled, taking her seat as her mood turned somber. "You know you should be careful, people have been disappearing in those woods you were camping in."

Sokka leaned forward with a frown. "What do you mean disappearing?"

Hama turned her gaze to her cup.

"When the moon turns full, people walk in... and they don't come out." she said slowly. "Who wants more tea?" she stood, suddenly smiling widely.

But she had just spooked everyone out.

Almost everyone.

He didn't believe in ghosts.

There were no scientific explaination for it, so it did not exist.

"Don't worry, you'll all be completely safe here."

His charges looked a little doubtful.

Did they really think someone would snatch them in their beds?

"Why don't I show you to your rooms and we'll all have a good nights rest?"

He nodded, standing.

Tonight, he was going investigating.

And then he had to write a report to Colonel Bastard – the ass was not a colonel any more but the name stuck – it had been weeks since the last one, he'd probably be yelled at for that.

He entered his room, bidding the others goodnight and slamming the door.

But who cared really?

In the end, he was still too valuable to be fired.

He knew that, and more importantly, Mustang knew that.

He smirked, opening a window.

This would be fun.

It has been too long since he had been out like this; sneaking on roofs and entering houses in the dead of the night.

He made his way onto rooftops, losing himself in the night rather than doing his job.

He loved the night sky.

He stopped arubtly as he almost slammed into a figure.

What. . .

Who would be out this late?

"Who are you?"

He knew that voice. .

His lips pulled into a snarl.

"Hohenheim!"

The man blinked.

"Edwar-"

He didn't allow the man to finish whatever crap he was going to spew.

He had enough of that nonsense.

As his fist connected with his father's face, he heard a satisfying crack.

"Where have you been?!" he yelled, standing over the groaning man menacingly. "You're not dead?!"

Hohenheim looked up at him.

"And you allowed us to think you were?! What kind off fucked up shit is that?!"

". . . It's nice to see you too."

He growled lowly, clenching and unclenching his fist.

"I was travelling. The world is a big place you see, and I wanted to get the chance to-"

He punched the damn living fossil into the ground.

"You bastard! You didn't even stick around to see Al! AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE FATHER!"

All was silent for a few seconds, just his heavy breathing and his thumping heart.

"I'm sorry."

He hissed as Hohenheim grabbed his hand, pulling back viciously.

"How many times have I heard that? And how many times have you left?!"

"I thought you wouldn't want me around. You've shown your distaste more than once, I didn't want to make things worse."

"You just did! If you wouldn't have stayed for me, you should've stayed for Al! He was waiting for you! He still is, dammit!" he seethed, taking a step back as his father sat up.

"I would have, but. ." Hohenheim trailed off, struggling for words as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't give a damn! Go visit Al now, and maybe this time you won't be as cowardly as to run away!"

He wrenched himself free of his father's regretful gaze and turned his back on the man who had done the same to him.

"I'm done with you."

"Edward."

"WHAT?" he snapped spitefully.

"I'm sorry."

He snorted bitterly.

"If you were really sorry, you wouldn't have left."

He whisked back into the inn without another word, leaving his father standing in the isolate alley.

The rising sun seemed so much more like the end than a new beginning.

* * *

"Ed! You're awake."

"Didn't sleep much." he forced a small smile at her and she returned it.

"We're going shopping."

"Wonderful." he drawled, brushing past her lightly and joining Sokka at the door, who looked at if someone had kept him up all night.

There was also a rather unpleasant scowl on the teen's face, so he decided against commenting.

Although Katara looked pretty happy.

It's probably a woman thing.

He didn't mind carrying the groceries either.

Even if he felt somewhat irriated he was shopping when he was supposed to be helping with the oncoming war.

Last night. . . was emotionally exhausting.

He had decided to forget it.

As he absentmindedly listened to Aang and Sokka speak, he realized he hadn't done any research on this town.

Damn it all.

"-weird stuff during full moons, this just reeks of spirit world shenanigan." Sokka grumbled.

"I bet if we take a little walk around town, we'll find out what people did to the environment to make the spirits mad." Aang shrugged.

Sokka suddenly smirked.

"And then you can sew up this little mystery licketty-split avatar style."

Aang had a smug/content/i-am-better-and-i-know-it look on his face that made him look away.

"Helping people. That's what I do."

He almost gagged, and Toph smirked.

They stopped as Hama told them to go back to the inn because she 'have a couple more errands to run' and will be 'back in a little while'.

Sokka looked around, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he walked towards the old woman. "This is a mysterious little town you have here." he commented suspiciously as he leaned down to face Hama.

Hama smiled.

"Mysterious town, for mysterious children."

Sokka narrowed his eyes as Hama turned from him and went her merry little way.

"You feel anything?" he muttered lowly.

"Nothing in particular." Toph answered, shifting the giant basket she had on her head.

He shrugged. "If you say so."

* * *

If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that was freaky.

"Who the hell put life-sized puppets into their closet?" he asked nobody in particular, a small frown on his lips.

He had jumped into a battle stance by the time the puppets fell out.

Even then, he refused to put his spear away.

He wasn't to blame!

"Sokka, you've looked enough. Ed, tell him! He shouldn't snoop around!"

Oh.

Katara had found some way to drag him into their sibling fight.

". . . Do you think he'd listen?"

Katara glared at him. "He's your pupil!"

His eyes – which had been surveying the area lazily – snapped to her at once.

"I'm responsible for him?!"

"Ha ha." Toph teased as she brushed past him.

He ignored her.

"But why?!"

Katara sighed, turning to him and completely forgetting her brother.

"Because, you're his master, and it's exhausting to be the only one to look out for him."

He whined, glaring at Toph to piss off as there was another laugh.

He grumbled incoherently as he followed his charges up the stairs.

They seemed to be inside the roof.

There was a door at the end.

He tightened his grip on his spear.

"Just an ordinary puppet-loving innkeeper, huh? Then why does she have a locked door up here?!"

"Sokka's curiosity will be the death of him on day." he muttered, but as usual, no one heard him.

He glanced downstairs.

He was sure he heard something. . .

But it seemed the others did not.

No, they were too busy fighting over opening the door.

Why had he been assigned to these people?

WHY?!

He was sure Truth was having a good laugh.

Yeah.

Well, curse Truth and all that was laughing.

"I don't think it's treasure."

"What do you know?"

"I know that you don't just keep treasure in plain sight."

He was ignored.

Again.

One more time and he was going to fucking leave them here to get caught.

So, to avoid that from happening, he decided he'd keep his mouth shut for the rest of this mission.

Uh huh.

What an awesomely idiotic plan.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Aang said worriedly, looking around.

"Maybe there's a key here somewhere." Sokka muttered absentmindedly, ignoring his friend.

Good to see he wasn't the only one.

And who would leave keys in the middle of the room with a locked chest?

Sokka, apparently.

"Hand it over."

Great.

Toph was in this too?

He facepalmed.

This just kept getting better and better, didn't it?

"I'm leaving." he called, making his way down the ladder.

No one answered.

He turned around.

And raised his spear in shock at the face smiling at him.

"Hama."

He put the weapon away slowly.

Very slowly.

"Oh, I came back and couldn't find you in your rooms, it appears you were here all along." she laughed.

He nodded, feeling a little embarrassed to be caught coming down from her. . . private room.

"The others are up there, i'll be in my room."

He left before she had a chance to object.

He knew where to go – the barn!

He wouldn't be going back to that dark, lonely room.

Lying on Appa's back while playing Go Fish with a certain cheating lemur.

Yes.

That's what he would be doing.

* * *

He followed them silently, wishing to sulk rather than do anything else.

How dare they ignore him?

His heartbeat accelerated as he recognized the surroundings they were in.

It was...here.

Where he had encountered his old man.

Toph glanced at him, but he ignored her questioning gaze.

Simply crossing his arms and steeling himself.

Even when forcing his heart rate to calm, he couldn't help looking around to check if the bastard was still here.

Only to find nothing.

Of course he would.

There was something akin to disappointment in his chest, something he chose not to acknowledge.

"Did you get a good look at the spirit that took you?"

His attention snapped back to their task at hand.

Right.

They were confronting a victim/witness.

"Didn't see no spirit. Just felt something come over me." the old man rubbed his chin, allowing Sokka to help him secure the block of wood he was hammering to his window.

Why the old man was doing that now when the moon was already out he didn't know.

Perhaps they were all just idiots.

"Like I was.. possessed! Forced me to start walking toward the mountain!"

He looked up at the tall imposing piece of land, vaguely recalling what Toph had said before they met Hama.

"I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control my own limbs! It just about had me into a cave up there, and looked up at the moon, for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light..."

Geez, this guy was dramatic.

Sokka seemed to find it somewhat related to a horror story, though.

"But then, the sun started to rise... and I got control of myself again! I just high-tailed it as quick out of that mountain as I could!"

"Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?"

"Oh no!"

Sokka raised the hammer in his hand in a panicked manner as they looked at Toph.

"I DID hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there!"

They wasted no time at locating the cave.

Well, maybe they did stare at the mountain for a few seconds.

But that was beside the point.

* * *

He snapped his fingers and allowed a small flame in the dark.

These gloves really were handy.

At the sight of the metal door, he diminished it.

Toph cracked her knuckles and slammed her hands into the door.

Which immediately flew off it's hinges.

"We're saved!"

Oh god it stank in here. . .

"I didn't know spirits made prisons like this."

"Oh for the love of Truth!" he snapped. "There's no such thing as spirits!"

Aang started.

"What? You don't believe in spirits?"

"It was no spirit who did this." a villager muttered, making them look at her.

"See?" he drawled, crossing his arms.

Aang seemed to decide to ignore him after that.

Whether intentional or not, he didn't know.

"It was a witch."

He snorted, moving his foot away when Sokka made to stomp on it.

Wasn't his fault the guy found a way to trip on thin air.

"She seems like a regular old woman."

"The innkeeper!"

"Hama!"

* * *

He clapped, transmuting the familiar blade.

It glinted in the moonlight, and he would've admired it if this had not been a race to save that idiotic female who followed a stranger into the woods in the dead of the night.

"Why the hell did you let her anyway?"

"What- you think I could've stopped her?" Sokka yelled.

"She's your sister, damn it!"

"Katara's in charge, Ed. Sokka has no control over her." Aang said, skidding to a stop in a clearing.

He realized there were a whole lot of clearings in this forest.

Although it didn't matter right now.

In fact, it probably wouldn't matter tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or the day after that...

"We know what you've been doing, Hama!"

He blinked, coming back to the current situation.

"You doing alright, Katara?" he called, wondering why no one else was asking that.

They did care, didn't they?

"Just peachy, Ed."

"Give up! You're outnumbered!" Aang yelled at the panting woman, who was suddenly smirking.

That was not good...

"No. you've outnumbered yourselves."

He stiffened.

A pushing sensation burning in him as he was tossed across the clearing.

Oh shit.

"Katara! The fuck is she doing?" he yelled, mind screaming at his body to _keep still, dammit!_

"Blood bending. She's blood blending!"

Blood bending..?

Was she trying to..

She was!

That old crone was trying to fucking control _him_!

Nobody controlled him.

No. bo. dy.

He slammed his palm onto the ground, and transmuted a tree branch to grab hold of his right leg.

Grittting his teeth as the pushing sensation increased, he turned around to face the damn bitch who dared try to command the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"You shouldn't even be able to move! How is this possible?" she screeched.

His lips pulled into a snarl.

"You can't use your blood bending on me, you bitch, you know why?" he spun his knife.

_**Aim for the heart.**_

Silvery grey eyes widened as she determined his purpose.

"I'm half metal."

His automail arm swung forth and the polished knife flew through the air.

"ED!"

He hissed when the dagger missed it's target.

The woman had suddenly dropped to the ground, as if she had been pushed.

But the feeling burning under his skin was gone, and he felt...better.

The headache had disappeared.

As well as that creepy ass voice in his head.

He transmuted the tree back to it's original shape, and slumped to the ground.

That was exhausting.

_**So very..exhausti...**_

Amber eyes slid close.

* * *

-"So you see, I don't think she realizes what just happened and who I was, but she did after that, and the lesson is to never underestimate me."

Appa gave a roar and he sighed, laying on his back as he threw his last card at Momo.

"You don't understand a word i'm saying, do you?"

Another roar.

"I guess not."

He sighed.

"Nope, I lied. I think she knew. I think she knew the whole time."

Momo was staring at him.

"I'm going insane, aren't I? You don't even know what i'm saying- the hell am I doing here?"

He groaned, falling off Appa deliberately.

"Your lives are so idiotically simple. It's almost unfair."

He was restless.

It probably had to do with..._him._

"What was he doing here anyway? And why did I let him get away?"

And why the hell had he left?

That's easy.

Because he didn't want to see that damn face.

_**No.**_

He groaned, covering his eyes.

Not again.

The voice in his head that he was sure was not his.

Nope.

There was someone who reminded him of the voice – who he had decided to call 'asshole' for obvious reasons.

The Crimson Lotus Alchemist, Solf J. Kimblee.

But that was not possible.

Because the guy was dead.

_**You're lying to yourself.**_

"What would you know?" he snapped irritably.

_**The truth.**_

"And pray tell what is that?" he drawled sarcastically, ignoring the looks he was receiving from both Appa and Momo.

_**You're scared.**_

He snarled as he sat up.

He was not!

He was Edward Elric and he did NOT get scared!

_**No matter what you say or how you act, you're still a child. And you know what I think?**_

He swung open the barn house door, storming out into the night.

The inn was dark.

It seemed everyone was asleep.

There was no place for distraction.

There was no place for running.

There was no place to get away from that _fucking_ voice!

_**You're scared he'll hurt you again.**_

_**And that's why you left first.**_

He fisted his blond locks, amber gold eyes glistening angrily as the torment in his mind tore him apart.

And there was no one to help him in this silent cold night.


	15. Nightmares and Daydreams

He looked around appreciatively, a small smile gracing his features as he took in the sight.

He turned to look at Sokka. "Where'd you find this place?"

"Before we seperated, my father and I found it on the map. It's uninhabited and the cliffs make it a perfect secluded place." the teen replied in a pleased manner.

"Ah..."

He sat down.

"Nice choice, Sokka. We're four days ahead of schedule." Katara said, sitting on a rock, brushing her hair.

Huh.

Were they really ahead of schedule?

Acccording to his calculations, that was not possible.

At all.

It just wasn't.

How could they be when they had been laying around and _not hurrying_?

It's not scientifically possible.

"FOUR DAYS?! The invasions in FOUR days?!" Aang shot up with wide panicked eyes.

"Whatever. That's just like, four days from now, so let's just calm down and-" Sokka fell over.

Asleep.

And dead to the world.

He looked back at Aang, completely disregarding Sokka as he scrunitized the avatar's worried expression.

Oh yeah...

"You gotta fight that firelord guy."

The worry turned into full-blown panic.

He realized he said the wrong thing.

Aang was a _monk_.

They were like Al.

Only a little...more...soft and mushy.

Yeah, that's it.

Soft and mushy.

"Relax..."

"Ed and Sokka's got the right idea, Aang." Katara told Aang as she laid down to sleep. "We're here. We're ready. The best thing to do is get plenty of rest."

That didn't seem to make an impression on his charge.

Seriously.

This'd be a piece of cake.

Charge into the royal palace, kick some bad guy ass and go home.

Maybe Aang could get married with Katara or something.

Then they'd all live happily and he's get to eat apple pie.

If only life was that simple.

* * *

He woke when his senses tingled.

Something was wrong.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight before him.

Usually, Aang slept really close to Appa and Momo.

Sokka liked sleeping next to him for reasons he did not understand.

Safety reasons, the teen had said.

Anyway.

Aang was awake.

Awake and panting.

And checking his pants.

Weird.

Really weird.

Almost Havoc weird.

He watched silently as Aang repeatedly kicked a bush.

A bush.

Why a bush?

It made him shake his head in quiet confusion.

Must be the stress.

Somewhere during the night, Aang had turned to a sturdy looking tree.

He stayed up watching the boy.

* * *

"How long have you been up?"

He glanced at Katara.

"And what is Aang doing?"

He jerked his head towards the avatar, telling her to ask him herself.

"You know, there is such as thing as over-training."

Aang suddenly fell over from exhaustion.

But stood up again almost immediately, circling Katara like prey.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Aang said irritably. "My form is bad, i'm sloppy and I still don't know any fire bending. Not even the basics."

He snorted.

That was the understatement of the century.

"That's okay, Aang. The eclipse will block out fire bending anyway, you don't need to know any." Sokka piped up, before looking from his map. "Plus, it's a stupid element."

"Okay. But I still have to work on everything else, i'd better spend the whole day training."

Aang gave a deep bow to Katara.

Then to Sokka.

Then to him.

Before moving away while riding on a ball of air or something.

Stress.

It kills eventually.

* * *

He waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Aang shot up from his sleep.

Just as he knew he would.

"I've got to be ready."

Dazed enough to overlook the fact that he was watching him.

Very intently.

He stood, following the avatar.

To a small area that held sleeping sheep.

Or something that looked like sheep.

He heard footsteps behind him, and glanced back.

Katara met his gaze tiredly before moving onto Aang.

"Aang, it's the middle of the night. You need to go back to sleep."

"But I forgot my pants and my math test."

…

_What?_

Katara took a deep breath.

Probably to calm down and not yell.

Which was good.

Would've woken everybody up.

And women were scary without sleep.

He had to learn that the hard way.

Katara placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, forcing him to a stop.

"Aang, sleep. Please." she turned the avatar around.

He almost took a step back at the wide bloodshot eyes.

"For me."

Aang slowly relaxed, and she guided the boy back to their camp.

He turned to scan the area.

One of the sheep things 'baa'ed at him.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Shh."

* * *

He added a full stop to his journal entry and closed the thick book.

Just in time to see Aang wake up and slap Sokka.

"Sokka, wake up! I need to know what day it is!"

He frowned.

Another nightmare?

"What?" Sokka opened his eyes blearily. "Who's talking?!"

The frown lifted from his face as Sokka crashed into the cliff he had been sleeping infront of.

"Ow."

That woke everybody up.

"Would you relax? It's still two days before the invasion." Toph groaned, sitting up.

Aang stared at Sokka for a moment, as if contemplating something.

Then suddenly pulling at the water tribe teen, who had fallen asleep again.

"Sokka, get up! You need to start your rock-climbing exercises."

"..What..?"

Aang let go.

"In one of my dreams, you were running from firenation soldiers, trying to climb this cliff, but you were too slow and they got you!"

He gave a bark of laughter at Sokka's annoyed expression.

"But that was just a dream. I'm a great climber."

"Then climb that cliff." Aang pointed at the cliff – mountain – glaring. "Climb it fast!"

Sokka looked dumbfounded.

It _was _a pretty tall cliff.

"Don't drink that!" Aang rounded on Toph, who spat out the water she had been consuming.

All over Katara.

"Why? Is it poisoned?"

"In my dream, we were right in the middle of the invasion, and you had to stop to use the bathroom. We died because of your tiny bladder."

He laughed harder, clutching his stomach.

Toph shot him an ugly glare.

He shrugged it off.

Bending to inspect his automail leg, he started when Aang pointed at him.

"You have to grow taller! In my dream, you were trying to kick a firenation soldier but you were too small so you missed."

He barely heard Toph's laughter as he stood up.

"SMALL?!"

He marched over to Aang, who seemed a little confused as to what was going on.

But who the hell cares?!

He grabbed hold of the boy's arm and flung him across the island.

Turning on the others, he scowled.

"This never happened."

* * *

He decided he had gone on long enough without training.

Al would kick his ass if they sparred right now.

He had to get back in shape.

"It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I end up more stressed. I'm like a big growing snowball of nerves."

Aang was pacing.

No one bothered enough to look at the nervous boy.

The only reason he heard was because this was his charge.

And he had to take care of his charge.

"Of course you are. That's 'cause you gotta fight the firelord. The biggest, baddest man on the planet. And you better win or we're all done for."

"Sokka! You're not helping." Katara scolded, scowling.

He shrugged.

"What? It's true. That's the deal; he knows it."

Katara pushed Sokka onto the floor.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had to fight bad guys too once." he offered, meeting Aang's troubled eyes. "There were eight of them, and they were trying to take over god."

"D-did you win?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" he smirked reassuringly.

"You know what? I have just the thing." Katara said soothingly, smiling at Aang. "Get ready to be destressified."

As she guided the avatar away, he gave her a thumbs up as a good luck.

She smiled weakly.

Huh.

Somebody didn't have much faith in themselves.

"So what of the eight bad guys?"

He looked at Toph, startled at her question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what you just told Aang. I want to hear about that."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"We don't know a lot about you. And that sounded interesting. We don't have much to do anyway." Toph shrugged.

He glanced at Sokka, who just decided to join them.

"I suppose you're interested too."

Sokka nodded.

He sighed.

Fine.

Wasn't like it was some big secret or anything.

"Most miilitaries are corrupt."

They nodded, and Toph scoffed at the stupid question.

"Most?"

He ignored her.

"A homunculus is an artificial human."

"Humans can be created?"

He scowled.

"Are you going to be interrupting me throughout my story?"

"Of course not. Sorry." Sokka made a motion that said 'go ahead'.

"The ruler of my country was one of them. There are 7 homunculus, named after the 7 sins. You know what that is right?"

"Um.. there's greed, envy, sloth, pride, wrath, lust... and selfishness?"

"Gluttony." he corrected. "And yeah, they're named after those."

"Thought you said there were 8?"

"Well, someone had to be the leader." he said sarcastically. "He was called 'Father'. No one knew it's real name. He could take away alch- bending. He could take away bending."

There was a grim frown on Toph's features.

Sokka didn't have bending in the first place, but he seemed to recognize the dangers.

"Well that's great!"

Or not.

"Without bending, everyone'll be equal, and there won't be any wars."

"You don't need bending for wars." he snapped irritably. "Knives, spears, guns."

Sokka deflated.

"So, he wanted to be 'the perfect being'. He had a plan, to swallow god."

"God?" Toph scoffed in disbelief.

"Yes. God, otherwise known as Truth. The sick sadistic son of bitch." he spat. "To open the gate the truth's realm, he had to kill thousands of humans. Basically, the whole country."

He drew in the dirt.

"What's up with the star and circle?"

"The points are the areas that have been battlefields, massacre's, that stuff. Have to spill a lot of blood for it to work. Here's the riot in Lior... the slaughter by Briggs... the Ishbal massacre... I really don't want to remember the rest, since you've got the gist."

What sucked was that _he _caused the riot in Lior.

"Someone had to stop him. I like my soul where it is, thanks. And so I did. I stopped him, with some help from a few friends."

"You have friends?"

He clicked in tongue in annoyance.

"Yes. As disbelieving as it is." he drawled. "I have friends. They helped me stop the bad guy and we ...lived happily ever after.."

He smiled grimly, messing up the transmutation circle with his stick and stabbing it repeatedly.

"You don't look happy." Toph commented quietly, kicking her feet.

"Happy? My brother just got married. Nothing spells happiness more than that."

"Well then look happy."

"Your brother's old enough to get married?" Sokka asked with a frown. "How far apart in age are you guys?"

"He's younger than me by a year."

"What? But you're 19. That makes him 18."

"Yeah."

"But that's so young. Why aren't you married?"

He twitched.

"Don't plan to."

"Can't find someone your height?" Toph taunted.

**DAMMIT! Second time in a month!**

He sprung up and made a grab for the little girl.

The little blind girl that made him forget his loneliness.

* * *

"Ed, you wanna try?"

He glanced from his book.

"What?"

"Maybe you could try to help Aang with his stress problem." Katara said hopefully, looking at her wits end.

Looking _reeeally_ desperate.

He frowned, placing his book down by the rock he had been sitting on.

He didn't want to be involved in this.

But Aang didn't look so good.

He would've been worried the boy would fall off his feet if Katara hadn't been holding him.

"I'm not good with children." he said simply.

"Just try. You're the last option."

He hummed in thought, before sighing.

"Alright."

He stood, placing a friendly smile on his face.

A friendly, cheerful smile.

Too cheerful.

Unfortunately, Aang didn't know him THAT well, and fell for it.

The poor boy never saw it coming.

"ED! What did you do?!"

"Knocked him out." he replied, walking back to his journal.

"What?! Why?!"

"Destress. The perfect way."

Besides, Aang would be fine.

The avatar would be back up in a few hours, or days, whichever comes first.

* * *

Aang wasn't too happy when he woke.

Not too happy at all.

"It helps, doesn't it?" he asked, crossing his arm as he stared at the enraged avatar.

"NO! It doesn't help, Ed!"

"You feel mad at me." he said offhandedly.

"YEAH!" Aang yelled, a slight wind blowing around him.

"All you feel is anger, towards me."

"YES!"

"Then it worked." he shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked away. "Your welcome."

He left the a bewildered Aang behind.

Who stood there – with an incredibly stupid expression on his face – for a good two minutes before shaking his head and storming after him.

Too bad he was fantastic at hiding.

Especially since he was sm-

**DAMN!**

"Ed! Get out here and fight me like a man!"

The lack of sleep was making Aang sound like Armstrong.

Both name's started with 'A' too.

It's creepy.

Maybe he should knock him out again.

"Twinkletoes, I think you're being far too over exaggerating. All he did was punch you out." came the oh-so-familiar voice of his would-be saviour.

Maybe.

Or she would make it worse.

"All he did?! He didn't even apologize!"

"Don't you get it Aang?" Sokka piped up. "You're angry at him, so you're not thinking about going against your monk honour by killing the firelord."

There was a slight pause.

He face palmed at Sokka's stupidity.

There was a thud.

"You idiot, you reminded him."

"And you knocked him out again."

* * *

He wondered how long he could keep this up.

This, being watching his sleep-deprived charge all night.

Because he was a bodyguard_ *_cough* babysitter *cough*, and so he had to _guard_ the damn boy.

Who had just recently got the idiotic idea into his thick skull that he could fight the firelord without four days of sleep.

"It's fucking brilliant!" he exclaimed sarcastically, clapping Aang on the back.

"Ed...i know what you're going to do, and I say – go for it!" Toph called, giving him a lazy thumbs up.

"What's she talking about?" Aang asked suspiciously, looking around.

He smiled, and the boy before him widened his eyes, backing away.

"Don't you dare, Ed... don't you-"

Thud.

He brushed imaginary dirt off his coat, before turning around to train Sokka.

Who still yells when he charges.


	16. The Day of Black Sun

Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa. Avatar belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Aaron Ehasz.

* * *

During his stay at the Four Kingdoms, he had been studying their bending.

Sokka had asked why some people had bending, and why some people didn't.

And he had a hypothesis.

It was not a very good one.

But the only one he got so far, so he'd just have to go with it for now.

Sokka should be glad.

**Benders give their souls to Truth.**

Truth was not known for his kind heart.

If that son of a bitch even have one.

He looked up from his journal.

He had been sitting on the same rock for three hours, writing.

A certain someone disrupted his sleeping pattern, and the results...

He woke at five.

_Five._

Everyone else woke up at about two hours after that.

Aang was in good spirits, playing with Momo and messing with Sokka.

Toph was peering over his shoulder curiously, reading his journal.

Reading his _coded_ journal.

No way a non-alchemist could crack it if Al can't.

"Oh no, Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Katara asked worriedly, making Sokka look up from the maps he had been pouring over.

He glanced at the fog.

**Collection of liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air.**

"No.." Sokka broke into a grin. "That is the invasion!"

He hummed in thought, momentarily distracted from his musings.

It seemed like everybody used fogs nowadays.

Maybe he should use fogs too.

He stayed on top of the cliff as he watched his charges run down to the shore.

Aang and Toph wasted no time in creating docks for the oncoming ships.

He admitted bending was useful.

But then again, alchemy could do that too.

He saw the laughter and joy that emitted from each and every one of them when they were reunited.

He saw the casual greetings and the friendly arguments.

They. Were. Going. To. War.

Why did they look so happy?

Why were they so cheerful?

He supposed he shouldn't be asking those questions.

If he remembered correctly, he himself bore a smile the day he went up against Father.

But that wasn't for him.

It was for Al.

He'd known Al was scared.

The grin was to assure his baby brother that they'd come out alive.

To tell him everything was going to be okay.

Maybe that was what they were doing.

Maybe he judged them too quickly.

Maybe he was wrong.

"Hey, where's Ed?" he heard Hakkoda ask.

"Ed? He's up there." Katara pointed at the boulder he had been leaning on.

He met Hakkoda's gaze, then turned around and walked from his line of sight.

He didn't feel like confronting anyone right now.

Katara didn't understand that.

She abandoned whatever she had been doing to come talk to him, even when his frown clearly said not to.

"Ed, what's wrong?"

He turned to her, his arms crossed.

"This is war."

"Yeah."

"Doesn't it occur to you that you'll probably never see each other again?"

Why don't they tell each other how they feel?

Why do they wait 'til it's too late?

Katara looked downcast for a moment, before she brightened again.

"But if we believe we can, we will win."

He almost scoffed at her naievity.

They shouldn't lie to themselves.

Casualties happen.

They should at least be prepared.

Or someone'll end up like Hawkeye.

* * *

There was the smell of gunpowder in the air, and smoke that made his eyes water. He heard shouts and screams and orders, but he ignored them all. Getting distracted in battle was a definate no-no. He ducked as a soldier in red armour flew past him.

He was following Aang.

Katara made him promise that he would look after him and that nothing would happen to the boy.

Edward Elric did not break promises.

He slammed a man into a wall, not stopping to see what damage he had done.

He was in a bad mood.

He hated war.

Absolutely despised it.

Because, well, because...

He was terrified.

Terrified that something'll go wrong.

This was war.

It's all bound to go wrong.

When they were in the whale ship thing Sokka had drawn up, Katara had confronted him again. Before she could say a word, he had brushed her hand off his shoulder.

"I know."

He had flashed her a reassuring smirk.

"I'll take care of him."

"Not just him, Ed."

At her words, he had been confused.

"You take care too."

And he had stared at her.

In all the dangerous situations, she had never shown concern for him before. Aang, sure. Toph, yes. Sokka, definitely. But him?

No.

He hadn't known how to respond, so he had turned away.

"You kidding? These assholes won't know what hit them."

* * *

He jumped from Appa, landing ungracefully, but on two feet.

It turns out the Firelord wasn't home, and probably hadn't been for a while.

That had been a big danger sign in his eyes, but his protests had only fell on deaf ears and invoked a 'Sounds like someone's scared.' from a certain earthbender.

They should've fall back and attack again, maybe when the Firelord was actually home.

He tried to tell them that the enemy was most likely prepared and that they'd be ready for them, but no.

No one listened to him.

Right now, they were checking the whole nation for a secret underground chamber.

That probably didn't even exist.

Their battle plan was getting out of hand.

"You feel anything down there?" Aang asked Toph, who was patting the ground.

"Yup. There are natural tunnels crisscrossing on the inside of the volcano." Toph reported in her usual monotone voice.

"Anything else? Is there are structure somewhere?"

Toph stood, breathed deep, then slammed her fingers into the earth.

How she did that without hurting herself, he'd never know.

"There's something big, dense, and made of metal in the heart of the volcano."

"Sounds like a secret bunker to me." Sokka cheered.

He wanted to remind them of the stakes and their future, but he didn't.

They were still children after all.

Still...children.

"Ed, you coming?"

"Yeah."

He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and followed Aang into the tunnel Toph had created.

"This way, that way's a dead end."

"What would we do without you?" Sokka cried, waving his arms around.

"Perish and burn in hot magma."

He eyed the lava dripping from above, easily side stepping it but not wanting to slip up. He was sure it'd be _really_ bad if he did.

They skidded to an abrupt halt when they reached an area with practical bombs everywhere.

"The tunnel continues on the other side; it leads right to the bunker." Toph pointed.

Well, that meant they'd _have_ to cross it.

"We'll have to be fast, but careful." Sokka informed them, jumping onto the dangerous platforms.

He reached out to grab Sokka from being melted into goo when magma shot out from a hole.

Aang quickly dried it with a blast of cold wind, turning to look at Sokka.

"How was that careful?"

Sokka shrugged himself from his grasp.

"Okay, I was wrong. We need to be fast, careful, and lucky."

Luck.

What a stupid thing to say.

He'd probably transmute the ground if they weren't in a volcano.

But they were, so he the only advantage he had was his reflexes.

Damn.

It was surprisingly difficult to maneuver himself to the other end, perhaps it had something to do with the heat.

His automail was stinging.

He might've hissed a few times and Toph _might've_ heard him and she _might've_ made him stay back or she'd metal bend his automail.

Well, he couldn't say no, especially if he could practically feel his limbs melting.

He immediately turned to leave, darting around the lefts and rights quickly to escape the smoldering rage of heat.

And then...

He didn't know how it happened, perhaps he took a wrong turn or whatever, maybe he somehow got lost and all that crap – even though he never got lost before unless he wanted to. Like that time in the desert.

But then he ran into them.

He was just as surprised as they were.

"I thought you went back."

"I tried." he gritted out. "What the hell are you guys doing?"

"Chasing Azula."

Azula... Azula...

Nope.

"The firelord's daughter. We think she can lead us to him." Aang answered, looking over his shoulder.

"No."

Their eyes landed on Sokka.

"We're leaving."

"What?"

"Sokka, what are you talking about?"

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a figure.

But when he turned, it was gone.

"Don't you see? She's just baiting us. She's wasting our time. We need to get out and find the Firelord on our own somehow."

He didn't know what had happened, but he was impressed by Sokka's sudden maturity.

Didn't know he had it in him.

He put his hands behind his head and followed the three of them.

"It's a trap. Don't say I didn't warn you."

He stiffened at the sudden voice.

Aang and Toph did too.

"Ignore." Sokka called over his shoulder.

And they listened, continued walking and ignoring the lady behind them with the sadistic eyes and the not-too-pleased smile.

"So. Sokka's your name right? My favourite prisoner used to mention you all the time."

Sokka did turn this time.

"She was convinced you were going to rescue her. Of course, you never came. And she gave up on you."

He scowled.

"Ignore. Ignore. Remember your plan, Sokka." he growled warningly.

Sokka charged.

He moved.

* * *

His head was pounding, his automail seared and Sokka was yelling in his ear.

When they escaped from the mountain, he had already gritted his teeth until they were sore.

"Why did you do that?! We could've gotten more information-"

"Your girlfriend is the least of our worries right now." he growled, quickening his pace.

"Suki-"

"Is currently none of our concern. We are in the middle of WAR. Don't you understand that simple word?"

He was at his wit's end; wishing there were someone here for him to ki-

He shook his head, ridding his outrageous thoughts.

"Don't you talk about Suki that way! Say one more word and I w-"

"Are you threatening me, Sokka?" he asked viciously, whirling around to face the teen.

Who looked just as furious as he.

"Maybe I am!"

"Guys! We'll talk about this later! Right now, we have to retreat!" Aang yelled over the noise, a resounding 'BOOM' rocking the ground.

Both of them reluctantly retreated.

* * *

As they flew away on Appa, he said nothing, and neither did the rest.

This was a battle lost.


	17. The Western Air Temple

Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu Arakawa. Avatar belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Aaron Ehasz.

* * *

He didn't sleep during the ride.

How could he?

The first time he actually wanted sleep, he couldn't get sleep.

Plus, the other kids kept staring at him – didn't their parents ever taught them common decency? - which he politely returned with a glare.

They finally got off Appa, because the bison got tired.

He didn't blame it, flying so far and all.

But now he felt as if he were walking in that desert again and there was nothing around for miles.

"This is humiliating." Katara commented, wiping sweat off her forehead.

"Do you mean getting thoroughly spanked by the firenation or having to walk to the western air temple?"

Katara was silent for a few moments before answering.

"Both."

"Sorry guys. But Appa gets tired carrying all these people." Aang said apologetically, scratching Appa as if to compensate.

"Maybe he should throw away the armour he's wearing." he snapped irritably.

"Is that an insult?" Sokka yelled, whirling around.

"Oh yeah. YOU made that armour." he spat, temper blazing fiercely.

"How dare you!"

"Guys, please calm down." Aang said tiredly.

"Yeah, what's wrong with you, Ed? Usually you ignore Sokka." Katara then added quickly, turning to Sokka. "No offence."

The teen simply grumbled.

"Are you alright, Ed?"

"Fine."

"You're lying." Toph interjected.

"It's fine. Not a big deal." he said forcefully, looking away.

Toph narrowed her eyes, before her attention landed on something else.

"We're here!"

Relief filled him.

* * *

Aang, Katara, Toph and Sokka stared at him, and he stared back.

"What?"

"Um...what are you sitting on?"

"A chair."

He inspected his fingernails, feeling pleased with himself.

They had finally found the temple, Truth knows why it was upside down.

But the other kids had gone to explore, while they stayed behind to create a new plan.

He wasn't going to sit on rocks and debris, so he made himself a chair.

"Where did you get it?"

Not just any chair.

Of course not.

He, the Fullmetal Alchemist, sitting in a normal chair?

_Ha!_

"I made it."

…

"Did it have to be all sparkly and velvet and fit for a king?"

"I like to be comfortable."

"...Okay."

He snuggled deeper into his new chair, gold coloured and red velvet, didn't it suit him so well? – he knew he was an egomaniac.

The gang turned to each other.

"So what's the new plan?"

"The new plan is the old plan. All you need to do is master all four elements and confront the firelord before the comet comes."

They make it sound so easy.

It's not.

He didn't need listen to this shit.

If they weren't going to come up with a decent plan, they shouldn't come up with one at all.

Alphonse could make something better than that.

They were all counting on Aang.

It was all Aang, Aang,_ Aang._

Why couldn't they train themselves to be stronger and maybe then they'd have a better chance of living.

It was a miracle none of them died yet.

He raised his head when footsteps sounded.

Aang and the others had left to have fun.

So it was just him and his beautiful chair.

…

He was getting too attached.

Watching the stranger with analyzing eyes, he cocked his head lazily.

That scar wasn't pretty.

"Hi."

"Hey."

His eyes didn't glint with maniacal sadism.

Was he a monk here?

The temple was supposed to be abandoned.

"Ed."

"...Zuko."

"What'cha here for?"

He was feeling mischevious this afternoon.

"I...uh...wanted to join your group...and teach the avatar firebending."

He seemed tense.

"Okay."

Zuko swallowed, sitting down next to him.

They waited in awkward silence.

Because he didn't know what to do and it seemed Zuko didn't either.

All that was left was waiting.

When the gang came back, he straightened a little, wanting to see their expressions.

"You're going to love the all day echo chamber." Aang said excitedly.

"I think that'll have to wait." Toph muttered grimly.

He watched in interest as they turned around and gasped, a look of absolute horror on their faces.

He grinned, finding their expressions funny, while Zuko stood.

Who knew Sokka could turn purple.

"Hello. Zuko here."

Everyone slid into defensive stances.

"Ed! Come here quick! He's the son of the firelord!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Really?'

Another prince?

He thought all were like Ling.

Nah.

He was an idiot for thinking that.

If all princes were like Ling...

No. He didn't want to think about that.

"ED! GET OVER HERE!"

"What? And leave my chair?"

Toph slammed her feet to the ground and he was shot out of his seat.

"OI!"

"What are you doing here, Zuko?" Katara snapped, ignoring him and his crumpled form.

"I know you must be surprised-"

"Not really, since you follow us all over the world." Sokka said sarcastically, his eyes narrowed.

"Riiiight." Zuko shifted uncomfortably, before looking at them and smiling weakly. "What I wanted to tell you about, is I've changed, and I...uh...i'm good now...and-"

"I think what he means to say," he interrupted irritably, standing up to dust dirt off his coat. "Is that he wants to join our group and teach Aang firebending."

The clarity of their disbelief made him think falling out of his beloved chair was worth it.

"You wanna what now?"

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?"

"Yeah! All you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang."

He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Geez guys, cut him some slack." he muttered. "He came all the way here to help. If you wanna defeat the firelord, you'll probably need his son. Way of life."

"You don't know him, Ed! He's pure evil!"

"I don't even know if you're on our side anymore!" Sokka howled.

"I don't even want to be here!" he shot back.

"Why don't you leave?!"

"Why don't you jump in an active volcano?!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Enough!" Katara shouted, glaring at the both of them. "Ed, Sokka, go sit in the corner."

"You sit in the corner!" he spat.

**I'm not a child!**

Katara scowled at him.

"Guys! Can we just focus at the matter at hand?"

"Ask Toph!" he yelled, pointing at the quiet earthbender. "She'll know if Zuko's lying!"

Everyone turned to Toph, who cocked her head to the right.

Then-

"He's not lying."

"AHA!"

He shrieked triumphantly, pointing at Sokka and Katara.

"In your face!"

Aang and Toph took a step away from him.

* * *

He paused when he felt a presence behind him.

"What?"

"Uh...i just wanted to thank you for believing me."

He nodded, turning around.

"Why'd you do that?"

He hummed in thought, pondering the answer.

"Well... you didn't lie and you did come all this way to find us...and we could use all the help we can get seeing as they," he jerked his head to the left, where – far, far, away – a few teenagers were playing. "Don't know shit."

"But how did you know I didn't lie?"

"Being around fake good guys for most my life gave me experience." he shrugged. "Bad guys have a sort of glint of confidence in their eyes, ya know. Like that girl who baited Sokka...i think she was your sister."

Zuko looked surprised.

"Azula?"

"Yeah that was her."

"Well. uh...thanks."

He grinned, shrugging.

Zuko left his side a few minutes later to teach Aang firebending, while he just sat there and watched them practice.

Until Sokka came along, and he stood, and left.

* * *

"Uh... Sokka?" Aang asked tentively, pausing in his training.

"What?"

"I think Ed's mad at you."

"So? Why should I care?" Sokka said stubbornly, crossing his arms.

Aang sighed.

"You should talk to him."

"No way. I'm not going out of my way to apologize to a jerk like him."

"But-"

"No but's, Aang."

* * *

He glared at the statue in front of him.

He had entered this dark stone room because he thought it'd be peaceful and quiet.

It was quiet, after all, he was surrounded by statues, but when he caught sight of that particular statue...

He felt it was mocking him.

He found no peace at all and decided to have a glaring contest with a piece of rock.

"Hey, you alright?"

He glanced at the blind earthbender who had decided to join him.

"Yeah."

"I noticed you were in a bad mood."

He snorted, crossing his arms.

"Oh really? What gave me away?"

Toph rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she muttered something about 'boys'.

"So what's eating ya?"

"Nothing."

"Uh huh, and why'd you take it out of Sokka?"

He grumbled, his glare sharpening as he tried to burn a hole into the stone statue before him.

"I didn't! I was just irritated; the heat was getting to me."

"I'm sure."

"Hey, it's true!"

"Uh huh."

His scowl deepened, as he turned his glare to Toph, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"Whatever. It's not a big deal or anything. What Sokka did then, it just reminded me of myself once." he allowed a hint of remorse as he wondered why he was even telling her this. "My girlfriend, she died because of me. And I just..." he sighed, rubbing his temples. "I didn't.."

"You didn't want Sokka to make the same mistake." Toph finished for him.

He made a small noise at the back of his throat.

"You know, I always thought you were an arrogant jerk, turns out I was wrong." Toph grinned, nudging his right arm. "Just a little though."

He let out a small laugh.

"Right. Just a little."

* * *

Sokka sighed quietly in the dark.

* * *

"So why are you glaring at the statue?"

"This?" he pointed at the stone carving.

Toph nodded.

"This is the bastard I refuse to call father."

Toph's eyebrows shot up in amusement and surprise.

"No way."

"Looks like him, may not be him. Although the damn plate underneath suggests otherwise." he scowled again.

Toph hummed in thought.

"Philosopher of the West, huh?"

"Stupid son of a bitch. Hate him almost as much as the bastard who sent me on this damn mission." he grumbled.

Toph raised an eyebrow.

"Do you hate being here?"

"Hell yeah."

"So you hate being with us?"

"I never said that. Doesn't mean we're friends or anything though,"

"Why don't you want us to be your friends?"

"Yeah, do you hate us or something?"

"If it's because of Sokka, we can totally fix it."

He took a step back as he was suddenly surrounded by Aang and his friends.

How they had suddenly appeared, he had no idea.

But he was starting to get used to it.

There are just things in this world he did not want to comprehend.

The faces staring back at him imploringly was one of them.

"It's not because of Sokka."

"Then why?"

"Yeah, tell us!"

"Guys, he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to-" Zuko tried to speak up for him, but Katara immediately shot him down.

"Quiet you!"

"So tell us your reason!"

He stared at them as they tried to presuade him with their puppy eyes.

"Okay, that has never worked and never will." he pointed out.

"We'll just keep staring until you give in."

It was most probably the fact that that sentence sounded vaguely creepy that he consented.

"You all know i'm in the military, and you all know military personnel lead dangerous lives." he explained in a matter of fact voice. "Especially high-ranking officials. There are lots of cases where an officer is threatened with his or her family and friends. So our relationship is strictly professional."

"..."

"You're a high-ranking official?"

"That's amazing!"

"What'd you do to get there?"

"You're in the army?"

"You must know so many cool strategies!"

He scowled as they bombarded him with questions.

**Stupid questions.**

"Is nobody listening to me?"

He was completely ignored, and instead of being irritated, he was startled to find a grin on his lips.


End file.
